Medicare Premium, Deductible, and Cost-Sharing Changes for 2026

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updates Medicare premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts annually for Parts A and B, and for the income-related monthly adjustment amounts (IRMAA) that apply to Part D. The 2026 changes are summarized below.  Medicare Part B Premium & Deductible Medicare Part B covers physicians’ services, outpatient hospital services,…

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Paying for Medicare: What, when, how, and who do you pay for your Medicare?

One of the most confusing aspects for people new to Medicare, is what you need to pay, how, when and to whom. And the consequences for missed or late premium payments can be serious, like canceled coverage and unexpected medical bills. To help avoid this stressful situation, we have outlined the Medicare premiums you’ll want to monitor and…

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Understanding Part D Coverage and Costs

Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage may just be the most confusing part of Medicare, but it’s getting easier starting in 2025.  Estimating your annual prescription drug costs goes beyond just looking at the monthly premium of your plan. Part D costs also depend on: Below we explain more about these factors so you can…

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What if a Medication is Not Covered by your Part D Plan?

Medicare Part D is a prescription drug insurance plan for people with Medicare provided through private insurance companies that contract with the federal government. Eligible individuals can choose to enroll in either a stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) or a Medicare Advantage plan that provides Part D prescription drug coverage (MAPD).  Every Part D plan has…

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Appealing a Higher Part B or Part D Premium

Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) article to see the income thresholds and applicable IRMAA charges for Part B and Part D.   To determine whether IRMAA charges apply, Medicare defaults to looking at your modified adjusted gross income as reported on your IRS tax return from two years prior. For example, in 2022, they would…

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