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Standard Medicare Part B premiums will increase from $185 per month in 2025 to $202.90 per month in 2026, an increase of $17.90, or 9.7%, from $185 per month in 2025, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The increase is the second-largest dollar increase in Part B premiums, said Mary Johnson, an independent Social Security and Medicare analyst. The highest monthly increase of $21.60 occurred in 2022.
Retirees may see this as “a continuation of relentless cost increases,” Johnson said in an email.
Medicare Part B is health insurance that covers both medically necessary and preventive services.
Part B premiums are usually deducted directly from your Social Security check. These increases in monthly premium payments will affect how much a Social Security recipient’s monthly check will increase in 2026.
The Social Security Administration announced a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment in 2026, which is expected to add about $56 per month to retirement benefits on average.
Johnson said 2026 Part B premiums could be seen as depriving beneficiaries of “a significant portion, or most of their COLA.”
The Hold Harmless Clause ensures that your Social Security benefit payments will not decrease from year to year as a result of Medicare Part B premium increases.
However, Johnson said your benefits could be reduced because premiums associated with private Medicare Advantage insurance plans and Part D prescription drug coverage are automatically deducted from your Social Security check.
The standard Part B contribution rate of $202.90 applies to individuals with modified adjusted gross incomes of $109,000 or less, and couples filing jointly with modified AGI of $218,000 or less.
According to CMS, about 8% of Medicare Part B beneficiaries pay so-called income-related monthly adjustments, which are added to their monthly premiums if they have higher incomes.
The annual Part B deductible will be $283 in 2026, a 10% increase from the $257 annual deductible in 2025, the agency said.
According to a CMS fact sheet on price changes, the increases in Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles are primarily due to “anticipated price changes and expected increased utilization consistent with historical experience.”
Income-related adjustments are typically based on tax returns filed two years earlier. Beneficiaries who subsequently experience a decrease in income or a qualifying life event can report this by filing a form with the Social Security Administration.
