Here’s what Medicare premiums, deductibles will cost for 2026

Dear Toni: In the new “Medicare &You” handbook, I cannot find what the 2026 Medicare costs and premiums will be. I would like this information because I have been diagnosed with a heart condition and will need to undergo surgery next year. I have looked online and cannot find the costs there, either. Do you have any idea what the 2026 costs will be? — Carol, Sugar Land, Texas

Dear Carol: Every year the handbook is mailed out before October to all Medicare beneficiaries to help guide them through the open enrollment period (Oct. 15-Dec. 7). The premium and deductible amounts for Medicare Parts A, B and D were not available when the handbook was printed.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the 2026 Medicare costs Nov. 14, with an increase for Parts A and B premiums and deductibles. Here’s what to expect:

Parts A and B costs

Part A (inpatient hospital) costs: The 2026 Part A deductible will increase by $60 from 2025 to $1,736. This deductible starts over every 60 days, or six times a year. Skilled nursing is included under Part A, and the 2026 costs will be $0 copay per day for days 1-20 and $217 per day for days 21-100.

Part B (Medical) costs: The 2026 Part B deductible will increase by $26 to $283 beginning Jan. 1. After the deductible is met, Medicare pays 80 percent of the approved amount and the beneficiary pays the remaining 20 percent.

Part B premium: This amount will increase by $17.90 to $202.90 beginning Jan. 1. Those with an income higher than $109,000 as an individual or $218,000 as a married couple will pay more for their Part B premium beginning Jan. 1. Those premiums for higher-income earners were also released on Nov. 14 and can be viewed at CMS.com.

Part D costs

Initial deductible: This will increase by $25 from 2025 to $615 beginning Jan. 1.

Initial coverage: There are six drug-tier stages. The Medicare Part D plan pays its share of your prescription drug costs, and you pay your share until the maximum amount of $2,100 out of pocket is met. Then you move into the catastrophic coverage stage and pay $0.

Total out of pocket: Effective Jan. 1, the maximum out of pocket will be $2,100.

Each year, the Part D process starts all over again with a new Medicare prescription drug plan and a new initial deductible and maximum initial coverage limit.

Medicare’s Prescription Payment Plan, which began Jan. 1, 2025, is a payment option available to help manage the $2,100 maximum out-of-pocket drug costs by spreading your monthly prescription costs throughout the year. For more information about the payment plan, visit Medicare.gov or call your Medicare Part D plan provider.

Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare and health insurance issues. If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664.