Medicare costs this year: premiums, deductibles and coinsurance
The federal numbers for 2026, and what isn't capped.
The federal government sets Medicare's premiums, deductibles and coinsurance each year. These are the 2026 amounts. Private plans (Medigap, Medicare Advantage and Part D) set their own premiums and cost sharing within federal rules, so those vary by plan and location.
2027 Part A and Part B amounts haven't been announced yet; CMS usually publishes them in the fall.
Part A (hospital) in 2026
- Premium: $0 for most people (40+ work quarters). $311/month with 30 to 39 quarters; $565/month with fewer than 30.
- Hospital deductible: $1,736 per benefit period.
- Hospital days 61 to 90: $434 a day. Lifetime reserve days: $868 a day.
- Skilled nursing facility days 21 to 100: $217 a day.
Part B (medical) in 2026
- Standard premium: $202.90 a month. Higher incomes pay more (IRMAA).
- Deductible: $283 a year.
- Coinsurance: usually 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, with no yearly limit in Original Medicare.
Part D (drugs) in 2026
For 2027, the maximum deductible rises to $700 and the out-of-pocket cap to $2,400.
- Deductible: no more than $615.
- Out-of-pocket cap: $2,100. After that, you pay nothing for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
- Insulin: no more than $35 for a month's supply of each covered insulin, with no deductible.
- Premiums vary by plan. Higher incomes pay a Part D IRMAA surcharge.
Medicare Advantage and Medigap
Medicare Advantage plans must cap your yearly out-of-pocket costs for covered Part A and B services at no more than $9,250 in-network in 2026 ($13,900 combined in- and out-of-network for PPOs). Many plans set lower limits. You still pay the Part B premium.
Medigap premiums are set by each insurer and vary by plan letter, location, age and pricing method. The high-deductible versions of Plans F and G have a $2,950 deductible in 2026.
What isn't capped
Original Medicare on its own has no yearly out-of-pocket limit: the 20% Part B coinsurance and Part A's per-benefit-period costs can add up without end. That's the main reason people add Medigap or choose Medicare Advantage.
Help paying
If your income and savings are limited, Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium and sometimes more, and Extra Help lowers drug costs. Both are worth checking even if you think you earn too much.
Common questions
$202.90 a month for most people. People with higher incomes pay more, up to $689.90 a month.
CMS usually announces the next year's Part A and B premiums and deductibles in the fall. The 2027 Part D limits are already set: a $700 maximum deductible and a $2,400 out-of-pocket cap.
No. Only Medicare Advantage plans and Part D have yearly out-of-pocket limits. Medigap can cover most or all of Original Medicare's cost sharing.
Want help with your own choices?
Every state runs a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) with trained counselors who give free, unbiased Medicare help and do not sell plans. Find yours on our Medicare by state pages, or call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) (TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Planning the rest of your coverage in retirement? We can help with life insurance later in life and final expense coverage.
Sources
- 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Checked September 29, 2026.
- Medicare costs, Medicare.gov. Checked September 29, 2026.
- Costs for Medicare drug coverage, Medicare.gov. Checked September 29, 2026.
- CY 2027 Rate Announcement, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Checked September 29, 2026.
- Final CY 2026 Part C Bid Review Memorandum, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Checked September 29, 2026.
- Compare Medigap plan benefits, Medicare.gov. Checked September 29, 2026.
General information about the federal Medicare program, not advice about your situation. Figures are for 2026 unless stated and change every year; last reviewed September 29, 2026. Quote My Policy is a private company. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program.
Quote My Policy does not sell Medicare plans on this site. For plan-specific help, contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) (TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program.