2026 Medicare Costs: Part A & B Premiums and Deductibles
Every core 2026 Medicare cost in one place — Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance, plus the Part D standard benefit — each with the 2025 figure alongside it, straight from the CMS fact sheets.
2026 Medicare Part A costs
Part A covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility stays, hospice, and some home health care. Most people never pay a Part A premium at all.
| Part A cost | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium — 30 to 39 quarters of coverage | $285 | $311 | +$26 |
| Premium — fewer than 30 quarters of coverage | $518 | $565 | +$47 |
| Inpatient hospital deductible (per benefit period) | $1,676 | $1,736 | +$60 |
| Daily coinsurance, hospital days 61-90 | $419 | $434 | +$15 |
| Daily coinsurance, lifetime reserve days | $838 | $868 | +$30 |
| Skilled nursing facility daily coinsurance, days 21-100 | $209.50 | $217.00 | +$8 |
Source: CMS "2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles" fact sheet, published 2025-11-14.
2026 Medicare Part B costs
Part B covers outpatient care — doctor visits, durable medical equipment, preventive care, and outpatient procedures. Unlike Part A, almost everyone pays a Part B premium.
| Part B cost | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard monthly premium | $185.00 | $202.90 |
| Annual deductible | $257 | $283 |
| Coinsurance after the deductible | 20% | 20% |
| Immunosuppressive-drug-only premium | $110.40 | $121.60 |
Source: CMS "2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles" fact sheet, published 2025-11-14.
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2026 Medicare Part D standard benefit
Part D covers prescription drugs through private plans. CMS sets a "standard benefit" design every plan must at least match in value; actual plan premiums vary widely and are not shown here.
| Part D standard benefit | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard benefit annual deductible | $590 | $615 |
| Annual out-of-pocket threshold | $2,000 | $2,100 |
| Initial coverage phase coinsurance | 25% | 25% |
| Catastrophic phase enrollee cost sharing | $0 | $0 |
| National base beneficiary premium | $36.78 | $38.99 |
Source: CMS "Final CY 2026 Part D Redesign Program Instructions"; CMS "2026 Medicare Part D Bid Information and Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration Parameters" fact sheet (base beneficiary premium).
What actually drives each of these numbers
Part A is free for almost everyone
You (or a spouse) worked and paid Medicare payroll tax for 40+ quarters — roughly 99% of beneficiaries clear this bar and owe no Part A premium at all. The premium tiers shown above only apply to the small minority who fall short of that work history.
The Part A deductible is per benefit period, not annual
A benefit period starts the day you're admitted and ends once you've been out of a hospital or skilled nursing facility for 60 straight days. Get readmitted after that 60-day gap, and a brand-new $1,736 deductible applies — even in December of the same year you already paid it in March.
The Part B deductible really is annual
Unlike Part A, Part B resets once per calendar year. Pay the $283 deductible once in 2026 and outpatient coinsurance is the only cost left for the rest of the year, no matter how many separate outpatient episodes you have.
The Part D base premium is a pricing input, not a bill
The $38.99 national base beneficiary premium is what CMS uses to calibrate plan bids and the late-enrollment penalty — it is not what any enrollee actually pays. Real Part D plan premiums are set by each insurer and range well above or below that figure depending on the plan and region.
Higher incomes pay a surcharge on top of every Part B and Part D figure above — see the 2026 IRMAA brackets for the exact add-on at your income.
The tax angle: Medicare premiums are a deductible medical expense
Medicare Part A, B, and D premiums count as medical expenses. On a standard return, they're only useful if you itemize and your total medical costs exceed 8% of AGI — run the numbers on the Schedule A calculator before assuming they help. Self-employed taxpayers get a better deal: Medicare premiums can qualify for the self-employed health insurance deduction, claimed above the line without needing to itemize or clear the AGI floor at all — see the self-employed health insurance deduction calculator for the net-profit ceiling and eligibility rule.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Medicare Part B in 2026?
The standard Part B premium for 2026 is $202.90 a month, up from $185.00 in 2025. That's the base rate most enrollees pay; higher-income enrollees pay more under IRMAA, and enrollees who qualify for Part B solely due to End-Stage Renal Disease immunosuppressive drug coverage instead pay $121.60.
What is the Medicare deductible for 2026?
There isn't one Medicare deductible — there are two, and they work differently. The Part A inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 per BENEFIT PERIOD (it can apply more than once a year). The Part B deductible is $283 per CALENDAR YEAR, covering outpatient care, doctor visits, and durable medical equipment. Part D adds a separate $615 annual deductible under the standard benefit design.
What is the Medicare Part A deductible for 2026?
$1,736, up from $1,676 in 2025. Unlike most deductibles, this one resets per BENEFIT PERIOD — a new hospital stay that starts more than 60 days after you were last discharged triggers a brand-new $1,736 deductible, even within the same calendar year. Someone hospitalized twice with a long enough gap between stays could owe this deductible twice in 2026.
How much does Medicare Part A premium cost in 2026?
Roughly 99% of beneficiaries pay nothing for Part A — it's premium-free once you (or a spouse) have 40+ quarters of Medicare-covered employment. Below that, the 2026 premium is $311/month with 30-39 quarters, or the full $565/month with fewer than 30 quarters.
What is the Medicare cost for 2026 across Part A, B, and D?
For the roughly 99% premium-free on Part A, the core 2026 Medicare cost is the $202.90/month standard Part B premium plus its $283 annual deductible and 20% coinsurance after that. Part D adds a plan premium that varies (the $38.99 figure below is a pricing input, not a bill), a $615 deductible, and 25% coinsurance up to the $2,100 out-of-pocket cap, after which covered drugs cost nothing more for the rest of the year.
Why did my Part B premium go up more than the standard amount?
Either you crossed into an IRMAA income tier, or you're newly enrolled and paying a late-enrollment penalty for not signing up when first eligible. IRMAA is a fixed surcharge added on top of the standard premium at six income tiers — see the full 2026 IRMAA bracket chart for the exact add-on at your income.
Sources
- CMS — 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles
- Medicare.gov — Costs
- CMS — Final CY 2026 Part D Redesign Program Instructions
- CMS — 2026 Part D Bid Information and Premium Stabilization Demonstration Parameters
- CMS — 2025 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles
- CMS — 2025 Medicare Part D Bid Information
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