When Medicare Part B premiums rise, the hold-harmless rule can keep an eligible person’s Social Security benefit from shrinking because of that increase. The test is a dollar-for-dollar comparison: how much the person’s Social Security benefit rises versus how much their Part B premium rises. It is not a guarantee for everyone, or protection against every Medicare deduction.
What the hold-harmless rule does
In plain language, the rule limits an eligible person’s Part B premium increase to the dollar increase in that person’s Social Security benefit. The relevant figure is what remains after the Part B premium is withheld: if the premium would otherwise rise by more than the benefit, the premium is adjusted so that the net Social Security benefit does not fall because of that Part B increase.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of the Actuary describes the provision as limiting “the dollar increase in the premium to the dollar increase in an individual’s Social Security benefit.” 2026 Medicare Trustees Report
This is a Part B safeguard, not a promise that a person’s entire Social Security check can never decline. Other deductions or circumstances can affect the amount received.
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The one comparison: dollars, not percentages
Compare the dollar increase in your Social Security benefit with the dollar increase in your Part B premium. Do not compare percentage increases. If the Part B increase is larger than your benefit increase, the rule can limit your premium increase—but only if you are eligible.
- Social Security benefit increase: the monthly dollar change in your benefit.
- Part B premium increase: the monthly dollar change in the applicable Part B premium.
- What the rule protects: the net Social Security benefit from falling because the Part B premium increased by more dollars than the benefit.
The specific dollar comparison depends on the premiums and benefit amounts that apply to you. A general annual premium figure alone cannot establish your individual result.
Who may not qualify
The rule does not cover everyone. The 2026 Medicare Trustees Report estimates that roughly 70% of Part B enrollees are covered and roughly 30% are not. Those are population estimates, not a way to determine an individual’s eligibility.
The Trustees identify these groups as not eligible for the protection:
- People newly enrolled in Part B during the year.
- People who do not receive Social Security checks.
- People subject to income-related Part B premium adjustments.
- People with both Medicare and Medicaid whose Part B premiums are paid by state Medicaid programs.
The Trustees say the provision applies to most people whose Part B premiums are withheld from Social Security. Having the premium withheld is relevant, but the exclusions above still matter.
What the latest published figures do—and do not—tell you
CMS set the standard monthly Part B premium at $202.90 for 2026, an increase of $17.90 from 2025. The 2026 Part B deductible is $283. These are standard figures; your applicable premium can differ, including if an income-related adjustment applies. CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles
The 2026 Medicare Trustees Report gives $209.50 per month as an estimate for the 2027 Part B premium. It is not a final rate: the report says financing rates had been set only through December 31, 2026. The official material cited here also does not establish the 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. Without the final premium and the applicable benefit increase, you cannot use the estimate alone to calculate whether your 2027 check will be protected. 2026 Medicare Trustees Report
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Part D and other deductions are separate
The hold-harmless rule concerns Part B premiums. Part D plan premiums vary, and Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts are separate; CMS says those adjustments may be withheld from Social Security checks or paid directly to Medicare. The Part B rule does not automatically shield you from Part D charges. CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles
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