2026 Costs of Medicare (Parts A, B, C & D)

Updated: January 2026

In 2026, the standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 a month with a $283 annual deductible. Part A is premium-free for most people, and the Part A hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period. Part D has a $615 standard deductible and a $2,100 annual cap on out-of-pocket costs for covered drugs. Part C costs vary by plan, insurer, and county.

Those are the figures Medicare sets. What you actually pay depends on your work history, your income, and the plans available in your ZIP code. Medicare announces the new year's costs in late fall and they take effect January 1. You can confirm current figures on Medicare.gov's official costs page, and we recapped the announcement in our News & Insights article, 2026 costs of Medicare.

Reviewed for 2026 plan year figures.

How Much Does Medicare Part A Cost in 2026?

Medicare Part A is usually free for most people, but if you must purchase Medicare Part A, the cost is $565/month. The people who haven't worked up to 40 quarters but more than 30 quarters will likely get a prorated premium of $311/month. Should you have a hospital stay, your Medicare Part A deductible will be $1,736.

How Much Does Medicare Part B Cost in 2026?

The standard premium of Medicare Part B in 2026 is $202.90. However, those that earn higher income will pay more. That income-based surcharge is called IRMAA, and if your income has dropped since the tax year it's based on, Social Security explains how to request a lower IRMAA amount. In addition, the beneficiary will be required to pay an annual Medicare Part B deductible of $283. And once your deductible is met, you will be subjected to pay 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for coinsurance.

Cost of Medicare Part C in 2026

Medicare Advantage (Part C) costs vary by plan, insurer, and service area. Use Medicare.gov/plan-compare or contact Simple Retirement Benefits for current 2026 plan-specific premium and out-of-pocket information.

Cost of Medicare Part D in 2026

Part D premiums and deductibles vary by plan. For 2026, Medicare lists a Part D national base beneficiary premium of $38.99, a defined standard Part D deductible of $615, and a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket threshold for covered Part D drugs.

For 2026, the defined standard Part D deductible is $615.

How Do Medicare Deductibles and Out-of-Pocket Limits Work?

2026 Medicare Costs at a Glance

🔍 Click infographic to view full high-res size.

Medicare deductibles and out-of-pocket costs work in layers. In 2026, Part A hospital deductibles ($1,736 per benefit period, you could pay this more than once during the year) and the Part B medical deductible ($283 annually) serve as your initial Original Medicare exposures. Once you meet those, Part B outpatient care generally subjects you to a 20% coinsurance rate with no built-in cap or maximum out-of-pocket limit (MOOP). On the prescription side, Part D introduces a Standard Deductible of $615, but also brings a new $2,100 annual out-of-pocket maximum on formulary covered meds. Medicare Supplements are one way to help you protect your savings by limiting the exposure you have on Original Medicare.

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