Medicare · Guide
Medicare Part B premium: what you pay, the deductible and income limits
Last updated 2026-10-24 · Reviewed against official sources · Editorial standards
Key takeaways
- In 2026, the standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month and the yearly deductible is $283.
- As of Oct. 24, 2026, CMS has not yet announced the 2027 amounts. Last year it announced them on Nov. 14, 2025.
- If your income two years ago was over $109,000, or $218,000 for a joint return, you pay more each month.
- The Part A hospital deductible is $1,736 for each benefit period in 2026.
- State Medicare Savings Programs can pay the Part B premium for people with limited income and resources.
The Part B premium and deductible for 2026
The standard Part B premium for 2026 is $202.90 a month. It was $185.00 in 2025. You pay it every month, even if you do not use any Part B services. The deductible is $283 a year. After that, you usually pay 20 percent of the cost of each covered service. Original Medicare has no yearly limit on what you pay.
CMS has not announced the 2027 premium and deductible as of Oct. 24, 2026. The notices for 2023 through 2026 came out between late September and late November of the year before. We will not guess the new amounts.
Higher premiums for higher incomes (IRMAA)
| Single filers | Joint filers | Monthly premium |
|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or less | $218,000 or less | $202.90 |
| Over $109,000 up to $137,000 | Over $218,000 up to $274,000 | $284.10 |
| Over $137,000 up to $171,000 | Over $274,000 up to $342,000 | $405.80 |
| Over $171,000 up to $205,000 | Over $342,000 up to $410,000 | $527.50 |
| Over $205,000 and under $500,000 | Over $410,000 and under $750,000 | $649.20 |
| $500,000 or more | $750,000 or more | $689.90 |
This extra amount is called the income-related monthly adjustment amount, or IRMAA. Social Security uses the income on your tax return from 2 years before. If married and filing separate returns, you pay $649.20 above $109,000 and $689.90 at $391,000 or more. If your income dropped after a life-changing event, you can ask to lower it with form SSA-44. These events include marriage, divorce, a spouse's death, and stopping or cutting back work.
The late enrollment penalty
If you sign up late without a Special Enrollment Period, you pay 10 percent more for each full 12 months you went without Part B. Medicare's 2026 example: a 2-year delay adds 20 percent, so the premium becomes $243.50 a month.
Part A costs in 2026
Most people pay no Part A premium. Others pay $311 or $565 a month, based on work history. The hospital deductible is $1,736 for each benefit period. Days 61 to 90 cost $434 a day. Lifetime reserve days cost $868 a day. In a skilled nursing facility, days 21 to 100 cost $217 a day.
Help paying the premium
| Program | What it pays | One person | Couple |
|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | Part A and B premiums, deductibles and coinsurance | $1,350 | $1,824 |
| SLMB | Part B premium | $1,616 | $2,184 |
| QI | Part B premium | $1,816 | $2,455 |
The resource limit for all three is $9,950 for one person and $14,910 for a couple. Limits are a bit higher in Alaska and Hawaii, and some states set higher limits. QI must be renewed each year. You apply through your state. People in these programs also get Extra Help with drug costs. In 2026, Extra Help is for incomes up to $23,940 a year for one person, or $32,460 for a couple.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Part B premium for 2027?
It has not been announced as of Oct. 24, 2026. The standard premium for 2026 is $202.90 a month. CMS usually announces the next year's amount in the fall.
Is the Part B premium taken from Social Security?
It can be. Social Security says signing up through it lets you have Medicare premiums withheld from your benefit payments.
What was the $90 Part B rebate?
CMS paid a one-time $90 rebate in October 2026 to certain people in Original Medicare Part B. It did not go to people in Medicare Advantage, people paying IRMAA or people whose premium Medicaid helps pay.
Which tax year sets my IRMAA?
Social Security generally uses your tax return from 2 years before. For 2026 premiums, that is your 2024 return.
Sources
- CMS, 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles (fact sheet): 2026 Part B premium and deductible, income-related amounts, Part A deductible, coinsurance and premiums. Read 2026-10-24.
- Medicare.gov, Costs: What you pay in 2026 for Part A, Part B, Medicare Advantage, Part D and Medigap. Read 2026-10-24.
- Medicare.gov, Avoid late enrollment penalties: How the Part A, Part B and Part D penalties work, with the 2026 Part B example. Read 2026-10-24.
- Federal Register, Medicare Part B Monthly Actuarial Rates, Premium Rates, and Annual Deductible Beginning January 1, 2026 (2025-20251): The 2026 Part B notice, published Nov. 19, 2025. No 2027 notice found on Oct. 24, 2026. Read 2026-10-24.
- Social Security Administration, Medicare (Publication No. 05-10043, 2026): Who can get Medicare, the enrollment periods, the employer Special Enrollment Period with forms CMS-40B and CMS-L564, and phone hours. Read 2026-10-24.
- Social Security Administration, Request to lower an IRMAA: Life-changing events and form SSA-44. Read 2026-10-24.
- eCFR, 20 CFR 418.1135, Which income information is used for the income-related amount: The tax return from 2 years before. Read 2026-10-24.
- eCFR, 20 CFR 418.1205, What is a major life-changing event?: Events that let you ask for a lower income-related amount. Read 2026-10-24.
- eCFR, 42 CFR 408.22, Increased premiums for late enrollment: 10 percent for each full 12 months. Read 2026-10-24.
- Medicare.gov, Medicare Savings Programs: QMB, SLMB, QI and QDWI and their 2026 income and resource limits. Read 2026-10-24.
- Medicare.gov, Help with drug costs (Extra Help): Who gets Extra Help, the 2026 limits and what people pay in 2027. Read 2026-10-24.
- CMS, Medicare Improvement Fund Premium Rebate: Frequently Asked Questions: The one-time Part B premium rebate paid in October 2026 and who gets it. Read 2026-10-24.