If you're on Medicare, the new year brought a bigger deduction from your Social Security check.
The standard Part B premium rose to $202.90 per month in 2026, up from $185.00 in 2025—a roughly 9.6% increase that marks one of the steeper hikes in recent years.
For couples both enrolled, that's nearly $4,870 a year just for doctor visits and outpatient care, before a single test or specialist copay.
Medicare officials point to rising spending on hospital outpatient services, new drugs entering coverage, and higher-than-expected utilization.
Part B also got a boost from a law meant to lower drug costs, which shifted some expenses around.
Translation: the program costs more to run, and beneficiaries absorb a chunk of it.
Your personal premium can be higher than the standard rate.
If your modified adjusted gross income tops $109,000 (single) or $218,000 (joint), you pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount, or IRMAA.
That surcharge kicks in on a sliding scale, and it's based on your tax return from two years ago—so your 2024 income determines your 2026 premium.
Retirees who sold a house or took a big IRA withdrawal in 2024 may be surprised by a higher bill now.
Here's the part that trips people up: Social Security cost-of-living adjustments rarely keep pace with Medicare premium hikes.
The 2026 COLA was 2.8%, while the Part B premium rose nearly 10%.
For many seniors, that means their net check grew by only a few dollars—or shrank.
If you're budgeting on a fixed income, this is the squeeze that matters most.
There is recourse if your income dropped.
If you retired, lost a pension, or had a one-time income spike two years ago, you can file Form SSA-44 to request an IRMAA reduction.
It requires proof of the life-changing event and your current income.
Advocacy groups say many eligible people never file—leaving money on the table simply because they didn't know the form existed.
Medicare Advantage plans often advertise $0 premiums, though they come with network restrictions and prior authorizations.
If you stick with Original Medicare, a Medigap supplement can cap your out-of-pocket exposure—but those premiums are rising too.
The honest math: there's no free option, only trade-offs between predictable premiums and unpredictable bills.
One more deadline worth circling: if you want to change how you get Part B coverage, the Medicare Advantage open enrollment window runs through March 31.
After that, most people are locked in until the fall. **Our take:** The Part B premium is quietly becoming one of the largest line items in a retiree's budget, and the gap between COLAs and premium growth isn't closing.
Final Thoughts
Check whether you qualify for an IRMAA reduction, and treat your Medicare choices like the five-figure decision they are—because that's what they've become.