Medicare Costs 2026
Planning your Medicare budget? Here's what premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs are expected to look like in 2026.
Part A Costs 2026
Most people pay $0 premium for Part A if they or their spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. The Part A deductible is $1,736 per benefit period in 2026, covering the first 60 days of a hospital stay. After day 60, coinsurance applies.
Part B Costs 2026
Standard Premium
$202.90
Monthly (MAGI ≤ $109K individual / $218K joint)
Annual Deductible
$283
2026 Part B Deductible
Highest Premium
$689.90
Monthly (MAGI ≥ $500K individual / $750K joint)
2026 IRMAA: extra vs. total monthly
These amounts use your 2024 MAGI. IRMAA extra is Part B IRMAA plus Part D IRMAA. Extra / year is that surcharge times 12. Total you pay / month is the $202.90 standard Part B premium plus IRMAA. Amounts are per person.
Total IRMAA extra
Part B IRMAA + Part D IRMAA
The monthly surcharge Medicare adds
Extra / year
Total IRMAA extra × 12
What the surcharge costs for the year
Total you pay / month
Standard Part B + total IRMAA
Does not include your Part D plan premium
| 2024 MAGI | Standard Part B | Part B IRMAA | Part D IRMAA | Total IRMAA extra / mo | Total you pay / mo | Extra / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or less | $202.90 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $202.90 | $0.00 |
| $109,001 - $137,000 | $202.90 | $81.20 | $14.50 | $95.70 | $298.60 | $1,148.40 |
| $137,001 - $171,000 | $202.90 | $202.90 | $37.50 | $240.40 | $443.30 | $2,884.80 |
| $171,001 - $205,000 | $202.90 | $324.60 | $60.40 | $385.00 | $587.90 | $4,620.00 |
| $205,001 - $499,999 | $202.90 | $446.30 | $83.30 | $529.60 | $732.50 | $6,355.20 |
| $500,000 or more | $202.90 | $487.00 | $91.00 | $578.00 | $780.90 | $6,936.00 |
How to read the table: Start with your 2024 MAGI, then read across. Total IRMAA extra is the surcharge. Extra / year is that surcharge for 12 months. Total you pay / month is the standard Part B premium plus IRMAA.
Couples: the income brackets use your joint MAGI, but each spouse on Medicare pays the IRMAA separately. If both of you are on Medicare, use the last column for the household extra.
Need the walkthrough? Read What is IRMAA? or use the IRMAA calculator.
Important Note: IRMAA affects approximately 8% of Medicare beneficiaries. After the deductible, you typically pay 20% coinsurance for most covered services.
Part D Costs 2026
Part D premiums vary by plan, but the national average is expected to be around $55 per month. The maximum annual deductible allowed is $590. After the deductible, you pay copays or coinsurance based on your plan's formulary.
Higher earners also pay Part D IRMAA, from $14.50 to $91.00 per month. Add that to Part B IRMAA to get the total IRMAA extra. The 2026 catastrophic threshold is about $2,100 in out-of-pocket drug costs.
How to Keep Costs Down
Consider a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan to cover Part B coinsurance, deductibles, and other gaps. Plan G is the most popular option, covering nearly all out-of-pocket costs except the Part B deductible.
Shop Part D plans annually during AEP (October 15 – December 7). Formularies and costs change every year, so what was cheap last year may not be the strong deal in 2026.
If you qualify based on income, apply for Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy) or Medicare Savings Programs to reduce or eliminate premiums, deductibles, and copays.
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