Here's What Medicare Insurance Costs in 2026
Posted on December 4, 2025 By Jeff Snyder
Each year, the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) gives beneficiaries and prospective enrollees the opportunity to explore their coverage options. To do this successfully, it helps to know what costs you can expect, including the out-of-pocket costs set for Original Medicare.
On November 14, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the costs of Original Medicare in 2026. We now know how the 2026 Original Medicare costs fit alongside the 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for Social Security (2.8 percent) and the expected averages for the private Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans.
All facts and figures can be found in the November 14, 2025, CMS press release “2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles,” the April 7, 2025 “Final CY 2026 Part D Redesign Program Instructions,” or the 2026 Part C and D average costs unless specifically linked elsewhere.
Medicare Part A
Original Medicare costs are rising again this year. One place where many may not experience this is Medicare Part A premium costs, since roughly 99 percent of all Medicare insurance beneficiaries receive Part A benefits premium-free. You are eligible for this if you or your spouse paid 40 quarters (10 years-worth) of the Medicare program tax. If you paid more than 30 quarters, but fewer than 40, you’ll owe the partial premium. Paying anything less than 30 quarters means you owe the full premium. For 2026, both the full and partial premiums will be seeing the largest increases since 2022, from $518 to $565 and from $285 to $311 respectively.
The other out-of-pocket costs are seeing increases more in line with previous years as shown in the table below.
2026 Part A Cost Breakdown
| Type of Cost | 2026 | % YOY Cost Change |
|---|---|---|
| Full Part A Premium | $565 | +9.07% |
| Partial Part A Premium | $311 | +9.12% |
| Inpatient Hospital Deductible | $1,336 | +3.58% |
| Daily Coinsurance for Days 61 to 90 | $434 | +3.58% |
| Daily Coinsurance for Lifetime Reserve Days | $868 | +3.58% |
| Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance | $217 | +3.58% |
Medicare Part B
Similar to Medicare Part A, Part B will see large increases comparable to those in 2022. The Medicare Part B premium will grow from $185 in 2025 to $202.90 in 2026, while the Part B deductible increases from $257 in 2025 to $283 in 2026.
2026 Part B Cost Breakdown
| Type of Cost | 2026 | % YOY Cost Change |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Part B Premium | $202.90 | +9.68% |
| Part B Deductible | $283 | +10.12% |
| Immunosuppressive Drug Premium | $121.60 | +10.14% |
Depending on your income, your Medicare Part B premium may be different. Medicare Part B has an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), which can change your monthly Part B premium.
2026 Part B IRMAA Breakdown
| File Individual Tax Return | File Joint Tax Return | Monthly Adjustment | 2026 Part B Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or Less | $218,000 or Less | $0.00 | $202.90 |
| $109,001 to $137,000 | $218,001 to $274,000 | $81.20 | $284.10 |
| $137,001 to $171,000 | $274,001 to $342,000 | $202.90 | $405.80 |
| $171,001 to $205,000 | $342,001 to $410,000 | $324.60 | $527.50 |
| $205,001 to $499,999 | $410,001 to $749,999 | $446.30 | $649.20 |
| $500,000 or More | $750,000 or More | $487.00 | $689.90 |
| File Individual Tax Return | File Joint Tax Return | Monthly Adjustment | 2026 Immunosuppresive Drug Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or Less | $218,000 or Less | $0.00 | $121.60 |
| $109,001 to $137,000 | $218,001 to $274,000 | $81.10 | $202.70 |
| $137,001 to $171,000 | $274,001 to $342,000 | $202.70 | $324.30 |
| $171,001 to $205,000 | $342,001 to $410,000 | $324.30 | $445.90 |
| $205,001 to $499,999 | $410,001 to $749,999 | $445.90 | $567.50 |
| $500,000 or More | $750,000 or More | $486.50 | $608.10 |
| File Separate Tax Return from Spouse | Monthly Adjustment | 2026 Part B Monthly Premium |
|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or Less | $0.00 | $202.90 |
| $109,001 to $390,999 | $446.30 | $649.20 |
| $391,000 or More | $487.00 | $689.90 |
| File Separate Tax Return from Spouse | Monthly Adjustment | 2026 Immunosuppressive Drug Premium |
|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or Less | $0.00 | $121.60 |
| $109,001 to $391,999 | $445.90 | $567.50 |
| $391,000 or More | $486.50 | $608.10 |
Medicare Part C and D Costs in 2026
In 2026, both Medicare Advantage (Part C) and D average costs are expected to stay mostly stable, with average premiums decreasing slightly. CMS estimates that Medicare Advantage plan premiums will see a 14.6 percent drop from $16.40 in 2025 to $14 on average in 2026. Medicare Part D plans will also experience a dip in average deductibles from $38.31 to $34.50, a 9.9 percent decrease.
Medicare Part D also has a premium IRMAA similar to Part B. This adjustment is paid on top of the specific plan’s premium, so we can only give you the adjustment.
| File Individual Tax Return | File Joint Tax Return | Monthly Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or Less | $218,000 or Less | $0.00 |
| $109,001 to $137,000 | $218,001 to $274,000 | $14.50 |
| $137,001 to $171,000 | $274,001 to $342,000 | $37.50 |
| $171,001 to $205,000 | $342,001 to $410,000 | $60.40 |
| $205,001 to $499,999 | $410,001 to $749,999 | $83.30 |
| $500,000 or More | $750,000 or More | $91.00 |
| File Separate Tax Return from Spouse | Monthly Adjustment |
|---|---|
| $109,000 or Less | $0.00 |
| $109,001 to $390,999 | $83.30 |
| $391,000 or More | $91.00 |
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If you were waiting to know the 2026 Original Medicare costs before making your coverage decisions for next year or would like additional assistance this year, we encourage you to get in touch with the Chastain Agency at your earliest convenience so we can help you in a timely manner.
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