How much is Medicare Part B in 2026?
The standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, with an annual deductible of $283. Most people pay the standard amount; higher-income households pay more through IRMAA.
- Standard Part B premium: $202.90 per month (2026).
- Part B annual deductible: $283.
- Higher incomes pay an IRMAA surcharge on top, starting above $109,000 (single) or $218,000 (married filing jointly).
- Part B is usually deducted from a Social Security payment, so the premium is often invisible until you look.
What the premium covers
Part B is the medical half of Original Medicare: doctor visits, outpatient care, lab work, durable medical equipment, and most preventive services. The $202.90 monthly premium in 2026 buys that coverage. It is separate from Part A, which covers inpatient hospital stays and is premium-free for most people who worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 40 quarters — about ten years.
After the $283 annual deductible, Original Medicare generally pays 80% of the approved amount for covered services and you pay the remaining 20%. There is no cap on that 20% — which is the specific gap a Medicare Supplement or a Medicare Advantage plan is designed to address, in two very different ways.
When you pay more than the standard premium
Higher-income households pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount, or IRMAA, added to the standard premium. It is based on the modified adjusted gross income reported on the tax return from two years earlier — so 2026 premiums use the 2024 return. The first bracket begins above $109,000 for a single filer and $218,000 for a couple filing jointly.
If your income has fallen since that tax year because of retirement, the death of a spouse, divorce, or another life-changing event, Social Security can use the newer figure instead. The form is SSA-44, and it is worth filing rather than assuming the surcharge is fixed.
When you might pay less — or nothing
Medicare Savings Programs, run through the state, can pay the Part B premium for people under certain income and asset limits. In Utah these are administered by the Department of Workforce Services.
Sources
- CMS 2026 Medicare Parts A & B premiums and deductibles Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Medicare.gov — costs and enrollment U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Run the numbers yourself
IRMAA estimator
See whether your income adds a surcharge to your Part B premium — and how much.
Advantage vs Medigap cost
Compare what each path could cost you in a typical year — and in a tough one.