Most seniors who are 65 and older get health coverage through Medicare. And if you’ve been enrolled in Medicare for a while, there are certain aspects of the program that you can use.
But treatment rules and costs can change from year to year. Here are a few 2026 updates you need to be aware of.
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It is not unusual for Medicare Part B premiums to increase from one year to the next. But this year, the standard monthly Part B premium is significantly higher than last year. It’s currently $202.90 a month, compared to $185 a month in 2025.
If you receive Social Security benefits, your Part B premiums will be paid directly from these monthly checks. But that means you’re unlikely to see much more growth than this year’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, which was just 2.8%.
In addition to higher Part B premiums, the Part B annual deductible has increased in 2026. It is now $283, compared to $257 last year.
Most Medicare enrollees do not pay premiums for Part A, which covers hospital care. But with Part A there are more costs when you need to stay in the hospital.
This year, the inpatient hospitalization deductible under Part A is $1,736, up from $1,676 last year. You’ll also pay more for daily hospital coinsurance this year — $434 a day, compared to $419 last year, for your 61 to 90 days in the hospital.
If you need to stay in the hospital for more than 90 days, the cost of using life reserve days is also higher. This year, the daily rate is $868, compared to $838 last year.
While Medicare Part B has a standard monthly premium, high earners typically pay more for it thanks to the program’s income-related monthly adjustment amounts, or IRMAAs. IRMAAs only affect about 8% of seniors with Medicare Part B, but they can raise premium costs significantly.
In 2025, IRMAAs began to kick in for single filers with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above $106,000 and a joint filer with a MAGI above $212,000. In 2026, IRMAAs apply to single taxpayers with MAGI above $109,000 and to joint filers with MAGI above $218,000.
Obviously, medicine had a number of major changes that took effect at the beginning of the year. It’s important to know which expenses to account for so your retirement budget isn’t blown away.
