Questions & answers · Health insurance
What does Medicare Part B cost in 2026: premium, deductible and the 20%?
Health insuranceWho paysChecked Nov 6, 2026
From K.Actuary, founded by Sangmin Kwon, ASA · sources checked 2026-11-06 · Source: Medicare.gov · Costs View original ↗
In short
- The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026.
- The yearly deductible is $283.
- After that you usually pay 20% of the approved cost.
What this means
Medicare.gov lists these 2026 Part B amounts [1]. The monthly premium is $202.90, or more if your income is higher. You pay it every month, even if you don't use any Part B service [1]. The yearly deductible is $283. You pay it once a year before Original Medicare starts to pay [1].
After that you usually pay 20% of the cost of each covered service or item. This holds if your doctor accepts the Medicare-approved amount as full payment. That is called accepting assignment [1]. You pay $0 for covered lab services and for covered home health care [1]. For durable medical equipment you pay 20% of the approved amount [1].
Your next step
Check whether your doctor accepts assignment, since the 20% applies as long as the provider accepts the Medicare-approved amount as full payment [1]. The sources give no deadline.
Check it yourself
These amounts are for 2026 and change each year. The sources here do not give amounts for a Medigap or Advantage plan: "Don't know yet" for your plan.
Where this comes from (1)
[1] Medicare.gov · Costs · checked 2026-11-06
Premium Monthly $202.90 each month (or higher depending on your income) … You'll pay the premium each month, even if you don't get any Part B-covered services … Deductible Yearly $283 before Original Medicare starts to pay. You pay this deductible once each year. … Usually 20% of the cost for each Medicare-covered service or item after you've paid your deductible … Clinical laboratory services $0 for covered clinical…
How we found this
We matched your question to 1 official source, quoted the exact lines, and re-checked each quote against its source on 2026-11-06.
What we don’t know yet
Your own plan or notice may say something different. If your letter cites another rule, send it and we will look again.
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Information only — not legal advice. Your plan, insurer or agency decides.
This answer quotes the official sources listed above, with the date we checked them. Your own policy, notice and state rules control. We are not your lawyer or your insurer. We don’t file, argue or negotiate claims for you — you send any letter or form yourself.
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Answer id CQ4716. Spotted an error? Tell us.