2026 Medicare Costs: Part B Premium, Deductibles, and What You Pay

In 2026, the standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90/month and the Part B deductible is $283/year. Most Medicare beneficiaries pay $0 for Part A. Your total Medicare cost depends on which parts you have, your income (which can raise your premiums through IRMAA), and whether you add a Medicare Advantage, Part D, or Medigap plan. Here is the full 2026 cost breakdown, part by part, plus the ways to lower what you pay.

What is new for 2026

Three numbers matter most this year:

• The standard Part B premium rose from $185.00 in 2025 to $202.90 in 2026, and the Part B deductible went from $257 to $283.
• The Part A inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period.
• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100. Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount, you pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the year. The old coverage gap, known as the donut hole, is gone.

All figures on this page are the official 2026 amounts released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 14, 2025.

Medicare Part A costs (hospital insurance)

Medicare Part A is hospital insurance. It covers your inpatient hospital stay, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and home health care. Together, Medicare Parts A and B make up Original Medicare. Most Medicare beneficiaries get premium-free Part A because they, or a spouse, paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters). If you do not qualify, the Part A premium is $311 per month with 30 to 39 quarters, or $565 with fewer than 30.

Premium-free Part A does not make hospital care free. When you have an inpatient hospital stay, you share the cost:

• Inpatient hospital deductible: $1,736 per benefit period.
• Hospital days 1 to 60: $0 coinsurance after the deductible.
• Hospital days 61 to 90: $434 per day.
• Lifetime reserve days (day 91 and beyond): $868 per day. You get 60 lifetime reserve days, and you can use them only once.
• Skilled nursing facility care, days 1 to 20: $0.
• Skilled nursing facility, days 21 to 100: $217 per day.

Medicare coverage of a skilled nursing facility stay is capped at 100 days per benefit period. The deductible is per benefit period, not per year, so more than one hospital stay in a year can mean paying it more than once. A benefit period starts the day 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 a single year can include more than one.

Medicare Part B costs (medical insurance)

Medicare Part B is medical insurance. It covers doctor visits, outpatient care, lab work, durable medical equipment, home health care, and preventive services. Part B has two main costs: the monthly premium and the annual deductible.

• Standard Part B premium: $202.90/month, usually deducted from your Social Security payment.
• Part B deductible: $283/year for the year.
• After the deductible, Part B pays 80% of the Medicare-approved amount and you pay the remaining 20% coinsurance, with no annual out-of-pocket limit.
• Most preventive services, such as screenings and the annual wellness visit, cost you $0. See how much Part B pays for doctor visits.

Higher earners pay more. If your income was above $109,000 on an individual tax return, or $218,000 on a joint tax return, an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) is added on top of the standard premium. IRMAA is based on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) from two years earlier (2024 income for 2026), as reported to the Social Security Administration. It raises that premium to as much as $689.90 per month at the top income tier; see the full 2026 IRMAA brackets for the amount at your income. If a life-changing event lowered your income, you can appeal your Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount with Form SSA-44. Some Medicare Advantage plans also offer a Part B giveback that returns part of this premium to you.

Medicare Part D costs (prescription drugs)

Medicare Part D covers prescription drugs, either as a stand-alone plan added to Original Medicare or built into a Medicare Advantage plan. Part D costs in 2026 work in stages:

• Monthly premium: varies by plan and region. Higher earners also pay a Part D IRMAA of up to $91.00 per month on top of the plan premium.
• Annual deductible: up to $615, depending on the plan. Some plans charge less or $0.
• After the deductible, you pay a share of your drug costs, through copays or coinsurance, until your out-of-pocket costs reach $2,100.
• Out-of-pocket cap: once you reach $2,100 in 2026, you pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the year.

The $2,100 cap is the biggest change to Part D in recent years. It replaced the coverage gap (the donut hole), so there is now a hard ceiling on your drug out-of-pocket costs. If your income is limited, the Extra Help program (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy) can lower or eliminate your drug plan premium, deductible, and copays. In 2026 you may qualify if your income is below $23,475 for an individual or $31,725 for a couple.

Late enrollment penalties

Signing up late can raise your cost for life, so timing is part of what Medicare costs. If you do not take Part B when you are first eligible and you do not have qualifying employer coverage, the Part B premium goes up 10% for each full 12-month period you could have had it, and that penalty is permanent. Part D has its own late enrollment penalty, added to your premium for as long as you have the coverage. Enrolling on time during your Initial Enrollment Period, or during a Special Enrollment Period if you had employer coverage, avoids both. You can also switch plans each year during Medicare open enrollment.

Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medigap costs

A Medicare Advantage plan bundles Medicare Parts A and B, usually adds Part D, and often includes extra benefits like dental, vision, and hearing. Costs work differently from Original Medicare:

• Many Medicare Advantage plans have a $0 monthly plan premium, on top of extra benefits Original Medicare does not include.
• You still pay the standard Part B premium ($202.90/month).
• Instead of 20% coinsurance with no ceiling, you pay copays or coinsurance for each service up to the plan's out-of-pocket limit, also called the maximum out-of-pocket, which caps your medical spending for the year.

Because plans set their own copays and networks, two plans with the same $0 premium can cost very different amounts once you use care. Compare the plans in your area during open enrollment before you choose.

Medigap (Medicare Supplement) is a separate policy that works alongside Original Medicare and pays much of the out-of-pocket costs that Parts A and B leave you, such as the hospital deductible and the 20% Part B coinsurance. You pay a monthly Medigap premium, often $100 to $300 or more, depending on the plan letter, your age, and where you live. In exchange, your out-of-pocket costs when you use care are far more predictable, which is why many people on Original Medicare add a Medigap plan. You cannot use Medigap and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time, so weigh the pros and cons of Medicare Supplement before you decide.

How to lower your Medicare costs in 2026

You have more control over your Medicare costs than most people realize. The main ways to pay less:

• Extra Help (Part D Low-Income Subsidy): lowers or eliminates drug plan premiums, deductibles, and copays if your income is under $23,475 (individual) or $31,725 (couple) in 2026.
• Medicare Savings Programs: state programs that can pay your Part B premium, and sometimes your deductibles and coinsurance, if you qualify.
• Choose the right coverage: a Medigap plan makes out-of-pocket costs predictable, while a $0-premium Medicare Advantage plan lowers monthly cost but adds copays. The best choice depends on your health and budget.
• Appeal IRMAA: if a life-changing event such as retirement or the death of a spouse lowered your income, file Form SSA-44 with the Social Security Administration to reduce or remove the surcharge.
• Part B giveback: some Medicare Advantage plans pay part of your Part B premium back to you.
• Get free help: a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor offers free, unbiased Medicare cost counseling in every state.
• Use the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov to compare every plan in your ZIP against your exact drug list and total yearly cost, not just the premium.

Source and date: all figures are the official 2026 amounts released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 14, 2025. This page updates each fall when CMS releases new numbers.

Common questions about Medicare costs

How much does Medicare cost in 2026?

Most people pay the standard Part B premium of $202.90/month per month and $0 for Part A. On top of that you may pay a Part D or Medicare Advantage plan premium, deductibles, and cost-sharing, and higher earners pay more through IRMAA.

What is the 2026 Part B premium and deductible?

The standard premium is $202.90/month per month and the Part B deductible is $283/year for the year. Higher earners pay more through IRMAA.

Is Medicare Part A free?

Part A is premium-free for most people who paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. You still pay the hospital deductible ($1,736 per benefit period) and the daily coinsurance for a long hospital stay. If you did not work enough, the Part A premium is $311 or $565 per month.

What is the Part A deductible for 2026?

The inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period in 2026. Because it resets each benefit period rather than each year, you can pay it more than once in a year.

How much does Part D cost in 2026?

Part D premiums vary by plan. The standard deductible can be up to $615, and once your out-of-pocket costs reach the $2,100 cap, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.

Is there a cap on drug costs?

Yes. In 2026, once you spend $2,100 out of pocket on covered Part D drugs, you pay nothing more for them that year. The old donut hole coverage gap no longer exists.

How can I lower my Medicare costs?

Check whether you qualify for Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program, compare plans in the Medicare Plan Finder or with a SHIP counselor, consider a Medigap plan for predictable out-of-pocket costs, and appeal IRMAA with Form SSA-44 if your income dropped.

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Want to know what you will actually pay for your situation, and whether a plan can lower it? A licensed Medicare Advocate can review your costs with you at no cost. Give us a call.