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The standard Medicare Part B premium in 2026 is $202.90 per month, and the annual Part B deductible is $283. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced those amounts on November 14, 2025. Your bill may differ from the standard monthly premium because of income-related adjustments, a late-enrollment penalty, or the hold-harmless provision.
What is the Medicare Part B premium in 2026?
For calendar year 2026, most enrollees who pay the standard rate owe $202.90 per month. That is $17.90 more than the 2025 standard monthly premium of $185.00, an increase of about 9.7%.
The Part B premium is separate from other Medicare costs. In 2026, the annual Part B deductible is $283. After the deductible, beneficiaries usually pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for a covered service or item when the provider accepts assignment. Medicare.gov notes that the premium is due every month even if you receive no Part B-covered services that month.
Part B premium history: selected standard monthly rates
The following figures come from CMS’s Medicare Trustees Report, Table III.C2. They are standard monthly premiums for the years or periods shown, not a record of every beneficiary’s actual deduction. The series excludes income-related monthly adjustment amounts (IRMAA), late-enrollment surcharges and hold-harmless reductions.
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| Year or period | Standard monthly premium |
|---|---|
| July 1966–March 1968 | $3.00 |
| April 1968–June 1970 | $4.00 |
| 1975 | $6.70 |
| 1980 | $8.70 |
| 1985 | $15.50 |
| 1990 | $28.60 |
| 1995 | $46.10 |
| 2000 | $45.50 |
| 2005 | $78.20 |
| 2009 | $96.40 |
| 2010 | $110.50 |
| 2011 | $115.40 |
| 2012 | $99.90 |
| 2013 | $104.90 |
| 2014 | $104.90 |
| 2015 | $104.90 |
| 2016 | $121.80 |
| 2017 | $134.00 |
| 2018 | $134.00 |
| 2019 | $135.50 |
| 2020 | $144.60 |
| 2021 | $148.50 |
| 2022 | $170.10 |
| 2023 | $164.90 |
| 2024 | $174.70 |
| 2025 | $185.00 |
| 2026 | $202.90 |
CMS says the Secretary of Health and Human Services promulgates standard monthly and actuarial rates each year. The official history therefore is not an uninterrupted series of increases. The standard rate fell from $110.50 in 2010 to $99.90 in 2012, and from $170.10 in 2022 to $164.90 in 2023. It also remained flat in several years, including 2013–2015 and 2017–2018.
Why some historical bills did not match the listed rate
CMS reports that the hold-harmless provision kept most beneficiaries at the 2009 rate of $96.40 in 2010 and 2011. Most beneficiaries were also held at $104.90 in 2016, while the 2017 increase was limited to about $4 on average. Those protections affect amounts actually deducted from certain Social Security payments; they do not change the standard rate shown in the Trustees Report.
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Why your Medicare Part B premium may be higher or lower
Income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA)
CMS uses modified adjusted gross income from your 2024 federal tax return to determine 2026 IRMAA. For full Part B coverage, individual filers with 2024 MAGI of up to $109,000 and joint filers with MAGI of up to $218,000 pay the $202.90 standard amount. Higher income produces one of five additional total-premium tiers. The highest 2026 total Part B premium is $689.90 per month for an individual with MAGI of at least $500,000 or a joint filer with MAGI of at least $750,000. Married people who lived with their spouse during the year but file separately use a separate schedule, so filing status matters when reading CMS’s tables.
CMS estimates that IRMAA affects roughly 8% of people with Part B for 2026. The adjustment is based on the income information available to the agency, not simply on your current-year wages.
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If you did not enroll in Part B when first eligible, you may owe a monthly penalty for as long as you have Part B. Whether the penalty applies can depend on a Special Enrollment Period or eligibility for a Medicare Savings Program. Medicare’s official penalty guidance is the appropriate place to review those rules; a personal amount cannot be calculated without your enrollment dates and circumstances.
Hold-harmless protection
The hold-harmless provision can limit or prevent an increase for certain beneficiaries whose Part B premium is deducted from Social Security, Railroad Retirement or Civil Service Retirement payments. As a result, two people can be affected differently by the same year’s standard-rate change.
Premium, deductible and coinsurance are different charges
- Premium: the recurring amount for Part B enrollment; the 2026 standard monthly premium is $202.90.
- Deductible: the amount you generally pay each year before Part B begins its usual cost-sharing; the 2026 deductible is $283 for the year, not per month.
- Coinsurance: after the deductible, the usual Part B share is 20% of the Medicare-approved amount when the provider accepts assignment.
These amounts are separate from premiums and cost sharing under Part A, Medicare Advantage or prescription-drug coverage.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Help with Part B costs
People with limited income and resources may qualify for a Medicare Savings Program through their state. These programs can help with Part A and Part B premiums and, depending on the program, other Medicare cost sharing. Medicare’s official cost-help information and your state Medicaid agency can explain eligibility and application procedures.
Quick Recap
How to use the history when comparing years
- Compare the same measure: the standard monthly premium, rather than one person’s total deduction.
- Put the calendar year beside every figure; a premium amount is not timeless.
- Keep the annual deductible separate from the monthly premium.
- For an individual bill, check filing status and the tax year CMS used for IRMAA, any late-enrollment penalty, and whether hold-harmless protection applies.
- For a complete year-by-year record, consult every annual row in CMS Trustees Report Table III.C2; the selected table above is not exhaustive.
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