Medicare Part B Premium Rising Nearly 10% in 2026: What You'll Pay

If you're on Medicare, your monthly costs are going up in 2026 — and the increase is steeper than most beneficiaries have seen in several years. The standard Medicare Part B premium, which covers outpatient care, doctor visits, preventive services, and durable medical equipment, is rising by close to 10% for 2026. For most people on Original Medicare, that means paying roughly $185 per month, up from $174.70 in 2025. Over a full year, that's more than $120 in additional costs per person — or $240 for a couple, both on Medicare. It doesn't sound enormous in isolation, but for the roughly 68 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, many of whom live on fixed incomes, it's a meaningful hit.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sets Part B premiums annually based on projected spending for Medicare-covered services. The 2026 increase is being driven primarily by rising costs for physician services, outpatient hospital care, and — critically — the continued uptake of expensive new drugs that fall under Part B coverage rather than Part D. Unlike Part D drugs (which you pick up at a pharmacy), Part B drugs are administered in a clinical setting: think infusions for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, macular degeneration, and increasingly, the new Alzheimer's treatments like lecanemab (Leqembi). When a single infusion drug costs tens of thousands of dollars annually and more patients receive it, the cost gets spread across all Part B enrollees through higher premiums. That's the structural reality behind this year's jump.

Most Medicare beneficiaries pay the standard premium, but if your income exceeds certain thresholds, you pay more through what's called the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, or IRMAA. For 2026, the IRMAA brackets are adjusted for inflation, but the surcharges are still substantial. Individuals with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above roughly $106,000 — or couples above $212,000 — begin paying IRMAA surcharges on top of the standard premium. At the highest income tier (individuals earning above $500,000 or couples above $750,000), the total Part B premium can exceed $600 per month per person. CMS uses your tax return from two years prior to determine your bracket, so your 2026 premium is based on your 2024 income. If your income has dropped significantly since then — due to retirement, a spouse's death, or reduced work hours — you can file Form SSA-44 with the Social Security Administration to request a reduction based on your current income.

One situation that catches many beneficiaries off guard is a one-time income event that temporarily pushes them into a higher IRMAA bracket. Selling a home, taking a large IRA distribution, or receiving an inheritance can spike your MAGI in a single year, triggering a surcharge two years later. If that income event was genuinely one-time and your income has since returned to normal, you have the right to appeal the IRMAA determination. Contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 and explain the life-changing event. The SSA recognizes several qualifying circumstances — including divorce, death of a spouse, loss of income-producing property, and reduction in work — that can justify using a more recent tax year for the calculation.

For people enrolled in Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans rather than Original Medicare, it's important to understand that the Part B premium increase affects you too. Medicare Advantage does not replace your Part B obligation — you must continue paying the Part B premium regardless of which plan you're in. What some MA plans offer, however, is a "Part B premium reduction" or "giveback" benefit, where the plan pays back a portion of your monthly premium — sometimes $50, $100, or even more per month — directly to your Social Security check or as a credit. In 2026, these giveback benefits remain available in select plans in certain counties, though the amounts have generally decreased compared to 2023 and 2024 as insurers tighten their benefit packages. If you're currently enrolled in an MA plan with a giveback benefit, verify that it's still included for 2026 — plan benefits change every year and what was offered last year may have been reduced or eliminated.

If you're on Original Medicare with a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy, your Part B premium increase is separate from your Medigap premium. Medigap plans cover cost-sharing like deductibles and coinsurance, but they don't offset the Part B premium itself. The Part B deductible for 2026 is also increasing — it was $257 in 2025, and the 2026 figure will be set by CMS in the fall announcement. Medigap Plan G, the most comprehensive plan available to new Medicare enrollees (Plan F was closed to new enrollees after January 1, 2020), covers the Part B excess charges and coinsurance but not the annual deductible. Plan N covers coinsurance but requires small copays for some office visits. Comparing these plans on a net-cost basis — premium plus expected out-of-pocket — is more useful than looking at premium alone.

For beneficiaries with limited income and resources, there are programs that can help cover the Part B premium entirely. The Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), administered through your state's Medicaid agency, include the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, which pays your Part B premium, deductible, and cost-sharing if your income is at or below roughly 100% of the federal poverty level. The Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) program pays the Part B premium for those between 100% and 120% of poverty. The Qualifying Individual (QI) program covers the premium for those between 120% and 135% of poverty. These income thresholds are adjusted annually, and eligibility rules vary slightly by state. Many eligible beneficiaries never apply simply because they don't know these programs exist — if your monthly income is under roughly $1,600 as a single person or $2,100 as a couple, it's worth contacting your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor or your state Medicaid office to check eligibility.

The timing of when you see this premium change depends on how you pay. If your Part B premium is deducted from your Social Security benefit — which is the case for most beneficiaries — the new amount will be reflected in your January 2026 Social Security payment. If you pay directly by check or online through Medicare Easy Pay, you'll receive a new billing notice. Social Security's annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026 is meant to help offset rising costs, but in years when the Part B premium increase outpaces the COLA, beneficiaries can end up with a smaller net Social Security check than the year before. The "hold harmless" provision in Medicare law protects most beneficiaries from having their Social Security payment reduced in dollar terms due to a Part B premium increase — but this protection does not apply to higher-income beneficiaries subject to IRMAA, or to those who are newly enrolling in Medicare.

The bottom line for 2026 is this: review your Medicare costs as a complete picture. Add up your Part B premium (including any IRMAA surcharge), your Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan premium, your Part D drug plan premium, and your expected out-of-pocket costs for the services you actually use. If you're in Original Medicare, the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 through December 7) is your window to switch to a Medicare Advantage plan if the economics make sense for your situation. If you're already in Medicare Advantage, use that same window to compare your current plan against alternatives — benefits and premiums shift every year. And if your income has changed significantly since 2024, don't wait to contact Social Security about adjusting your IRMAA bracket. Proactive steps now can meaningfully reduce what you pay throughout the year.