Medicare costs in 2026
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026 with a $283 deductible. The Part A hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period. Part D drug costs are capped at $2,100 out of pocket for the year. These are the amounts Medicare sets; plan premiums vary.
Part B (medical insurance)
| Item | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Standard monthly premium | $202.90 | up $17.90 from $185 |
| Annual deductible | $283 | up $26 from $257 |
| Coinsurance after the deductible | 20% | of the Medicare-approved amount for most services |
Most people have the premium deducted from their Social Security payment. People in a Medicare Savings Program have it paid for them.
Part A (hospital insurance)
| Item | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Deductible per benefit period | $1,736 | up $60 from $1,676 |
| Hospital days 61 to 90 | $434 per day | up $15 from $419 |
| Lifetime reserve days (60 in total) | $868 per day | up $30 from $838 |
| Skilled nursing facility days 21 to 100 | $217 per day | up $7.50 from $209.50 |
| Monthly premium with 30 to 39 work quarters | $311 | up $26 from $285 |
| Monthly premium with fewer than 30 quarters | $565 | up $47 from $518 |
About 99 percent of people pay no Part A premium. Days 1 to 60 in the hospital and days 1 to 20 in a skilled nursing facility have no daily coinsurance after the deductible. A benefit period can happen more than once a year.
Part D (prescription drugs)
| Item | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum deductible a plan may charge | $615 | up $25 from $590 |
| Out-of-pocket cap for covered drugs | $2,100 | up $100 from $2,000 |
| National base premium (used for the late enrollment penalty) | $38.99 | up $2.21 from $36.78 |
Your actual Part D premium depends on the plan you choose, and many plans set the deductible below the maximum or at zero. After the deductible you pay a share of each prescription until you reach the cap, then nothing for covered drugs for the rest of the year. Extra Help lowers these costs for people with limited income.
Higher incomes: IRMAA
If your modified adjusted gross income on your 2024 tax return was above the first row, you pay the higher Part B premium shown and an extra amount on top of your Part D plan's premium.
| Income on your 2024 return | Part B premium | Part D add-on |
|---|---|---|
Individual: $109,000 or less Joint: $218,000 or less | $202.90 | none |
Individual: $109,001 to $137,000 Joint: $218,001 to $274,000 | $284.10 | + $14.50 |
Individual: $137,001 to $171,000 Joint: $274,001 to $342,000 | $405.80 | + $37.50 |
Individual: $171,001 to $205,000 Joint: $342,001 to $410,000 | $527.50 | + $60.40 |
Individual: $205,001 to less than $500,000 Joint: $410,001 to less than $750,000 | $649.20 | + $83.30 |
Individual: $500,000 or more Joint: $750,000 or more | $689.90 | + $91 |
Married and filing separately while living with your spouse: $109,000 or less: $202.90; $109,001 to less than $391,000: $649.20 plus $83.30 for Part D; $391,000 or more: $689.90 plus $91 for Part D.
If your income has dropped because of retirement, a death, divorce or another life-changing event, ask Social Security to use your current income (form SSA-44).
What is not on this page
Medicare Advantage, Medigap and individual Part D plan premiums, copays and benefits. Each insurance company sets its own, and they differ by plan and county, so there is no single government figure. A licensed agent at an office near you can show you every plan available where you live at no cost. We do not list plan prices here because this directory does not represent every plan in your area.
Ways to lower your costs
- Medicare Savings Programs pay the Part B premium, and sometimes deductibles and copays, for people with limited income and resources. Apply through your state Medicaid office. What they are →
- Extra Help lowers Part D premiums and drug costs. Apply through Social Security. What it is →
- IRMAA reconsideration if your income has fallen since the tax year Social Security used.
- Free counseling from your state's SHIP, listed on the Colorado and New Mexico pages.
Common questions
What is the Medicare Part B premium in 2026?
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, up $17.90 from $185 in 2025. People with higher incomes pay more through IRMAA, and people in a Medicare Savings Program may pay nothing.
What is the Part D out-of-pocket cap in 2026?
$2,100. Once what you have paid for covered drugs in 2026 reaches that amount, you pay nothing more for covered drugs for the rest of the year. The cap was $2,000 in 2025. Plans may set a deductible up to $615; many set it lower or at zero.
Is Medicare Part A free?
Most people pay no Part A premium because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters). Part A still has a deductible for each hospital benefit period and daily coinsurance for long stays: $1,736 and $434 a day for days 61 to 90 in 2026.
Who pays IRMAA, and can I appeal it?
IRMAA is an income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums for people above certain income levels, based on the tax return from two years earlier. If your income has dropped because of a life-changing event such as retirement, a death or a divorce, you can ask Social Security to use your current income instead (form SSA-44).
Why are Medicare Advantage and Medigap premiums not on this page?
Those premiums are set by each insurance company and differ by plan and county, so there is no single government figure. This page lists only the amounts Medicare itself sets. A licensed agent can show you every plan available where you live.
When does CMS announce the next year's Medicare costs?
Part D standard amounts come first, in the spring rate announcement. The Part D base premium follows in late July. Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles and IRMAA brackets are announced in November, and Social Security announces its cost-of-living adjustment in October.