In short
- The 2026 Part B premium is $202.90 a month, up $17.90 from $185.00 in 2025. The Part B deductible is $283.
- The Part A hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period in 2026, and skilled nursing coinsurance is $217 a day for days 21 to 100.
- IRMAA starts above $109,000 of 2024 income for single filers and $218,000 for joint filers.
- Part D plans can charge a deductible of up to $615 in 2026, and your yearly out-of-pocket drug costs are capped at $2,100.
- The 2027 Part B premium is a projection only ($209.50, from the June 2026 Trustees Report). CMS usually sets the real number in November.
Open enrollment for 2027 plans starts October 15, about five weeks from now. Before you compare plans, it helps to know what Original Medicare itself costs this year. Every figure below is an official CMS amount unless it is clearly labeled a projection.
What does Part B cost in 2026?
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, up $17.90 from $185.00 in 2025. The yearly Part B deductible is $283, up $26 from $257. After the deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for doctor visits, outpatient surgery, lab work and other Part B services.
If you collect Social Security, the premium usually comes out of your check. If you don't, Medicare bills you directly. Waiting to sign up when you have no other qualifying coverage costs more: the Part B penalty is 10% for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B and didn't, for as long as you have it. Our Part B guide and late enrollment penalty guide walk through examples.
What does Part A cost in 2026?
About 99% of people pay no Part A premium because they or a spouse worked at least 40 quarters. Part A still has cost sharing when you use it, and those amounts went up for 2026.
| Part A cost | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| Premium with 30 to 39 quarters of work | $311 a month |
| Premium with fewer than 30 quarters | $565 a month |
| Inpatient hospital deductible | $1,736 per benefit period |
| Hospital days 61 to 90 | $434 a day |
| Lifetime reserve days (60 total) | $868 a day |
| Skilled nursing facility, days 21 to 100 | $217 a day |
The hospital deductible applies per benefit period, not per year, so a second hospital stay months later can mean paying it again. More detail is in our Part A guide.
Who pays IRMAA in 2026?
IRMAA, the income-related monthly adjustment amount, is an extra charge on Part B and Part D for higher earners. For 2026, Social Security uses the modified adjusted gross income from your 2024 tax return. CMS says it affects roughly 8% of people with Part B.
| 2024 income, single | 2024 income, joint | Total Part B premium | Part D add-on |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or less | $218,000 or less | $202.90 | None |
| Over $109,000 to $137,000 | Over $218,000 to $274,000 | $284.10 | $14.50 |
| Over $137,000 to $171,000 | Over $274,000 to $342,000 | $405.80 | $37.50 |
| Over $171,000 to $205,000 | Over $342,000 to $410,000 | $527.50 | $60.40 |
| Over $205,000, under $500,000 | Over $410,000, under $750,000 | $649.20 | $83.30 |
| $500,000 or more | $750,000 or more | $689.90 | $91.00 |
The Part D add-on is paid on top of your plan's premium, including if your drug coverage comes through a Medicare Advantage plan. If your income dropped because you retired or had another life-changing event, you can ask Social Security to use newer income. Our IRMAA guide explains how.
What are the 2026 limits for drug coverage and Medigap?
No Part D plan can charge a deductible above $615 in 2026. Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,100, you pay nothing more for covered drugs that year. Insulin is capped at $35 for a one-month supply. The national base beneficiary premium, which sets the Part D late penalty, is $38.99 in 2026. See how the Part D out-of-pocket cap works.
For Medicare Supplement plans, the 2026 high-deductible Plan G and Plan F deductible is $2,950, and the out-of-pocket limits are $8,000 for Plan K and $4,000 for Plan L. Our high-deductible Plan G page runs the math.
What will Medicare cost in 2027?
Some 2027 numbers are final and some are only projections.
Already final: CMS set the 2027 Part D maximum deductible at $700 and the out-of-pocket cap at $2,400 in its April 6, 2026 Rate Announcement. On July 28, 2026, CMS set the 2027 base beneficiary premium at $41.33 and said the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration, which held down some 2026 drug plan premiums, ends after 2026.
Projections only: The 2026 Medicare Trustees Report, released June 9, 2026, estimates a 2027 Part B premium of $209.50 and a Part B deductible of $292, plus a Part A deductible of $1,788. Treat these as estimates. CMS usually announces the official amounts in November. The same report projects the Part A hospital trust fund will be depleted in 2033, when it could still pay 89% of costs that year.
How can you lower these costs?
If your income and savings are limited, a Medicare Savings Program can pay your Part B premium, and Extra Help lowers drug costs. For 2026, Extra Help income limits are $23,940 for an individual and $32,460 for a married couple.
For unbiased help, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (TTY 1-877-486-2048), or Nebraska SHIP (formerly SHIIP) at 1-800-234-7119. You can also talk to Bill about how these numbers fit your budget.
Frequently asked questions
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, up from $185.00 in 2025. Most people pay this amount. If your income is above $109,000 as a single filer or $218,000 filing jointly, based on your 2024 tax return, you pay more through IRMAA. If you get Social Security benefits, the premium is usually taken out of your monthly check.
The Part B deductible is $283 for 2026, up $26 from $257 in 2025. You pay it once a year before Part B starts paying its share. After that, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for doctor visits, outpatient care and other Part B services, unless other coverage such as a Medicare Supplement plan picks up that 20%.
The Part A inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period in 2026. A benefit period starts when you are admitted and ends after you have been out of the hospital or a skilled nursing facility for 60 days in a row, so you can owe it more than once a year. Days 61 to 90 of a stay cost $434 a day in 2026.
For 2026, IRMAA applies if your 2024 modified adjusted gross income was more than $109,000 as a single filer or more than $218,000 as a married couple filing jointly. The first bracket raises the Part B premium to $284.10 a month and adds $14.50 a month to your Part D premium. CMS says roughly 8% of people with Part B pay IRMAA.
It has not been announced. The 2026 Medicare Trustees Report, released June 9, 2026, projects a 2027 standard Part B premium of $209.50 a month and a Part B deductible of $292. Those are estimates, not final numbers. CMS usually announces the official 2027 Part A and Part B amounts in November. The 2026 amounts came out on November 14, 2025.
In 2026, once your out-of-pocket spending on covered Part D drugs reaches $2,100, you pay nothing more for covered drugs for the rest of the year. Certain payments made for you, such as through Extra Help, count toward that total. The cap is already set to rise to $2,400 in 2027, and the maximum Part D deductible rises from $615 to $700.
Sources
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles fact sheet (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Trustees Report (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: CY 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Rate Announcement (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: Medicare Part D 2027 national average monthly bid amount fact sheet (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Avoid late enrollment penalties (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Part D costs, deductible and out-of-pocket limit (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Help with drug costs (Extra Help) (opens in a new tab)
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.
