Medicare Part B premiums are set to hit retirees with a massive increase in 2026. The hike will be the second-largest in the program’s history, crushing seniors already facing affordability challenges.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) confirmed the standard monthly premium will spike to $202.90 next year. This is a staggering increase of $17.90 per month, or 9.7 percent.
This jump is the second-largest dollar increase ever for the Part B premium, according to independent analyst Mary Johnson. It comes as American families are hammered by climbing prices for essentials like food and utilities.
The premium hike is a major problem for retirees, as the cost is typically deducted directly from Social Security checks. While Social Security benefits will increase by 2.8 percent next year, this Medicare spike will quickly eat away at that modest gain.
For the average retiree, who receives about $2,008 per month, the premium jump reduces their effective cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) down to a paltry 1.9 percent. Lower-income beneficiaries, receiving around $1,000 per month, will see their effective COLA drop to a crushing 1 percent.
The increase adds pressure to an already chaotic healthcare system where insurance costs are soaring for everyone, including those with employer plans and Affordable Care Act coverage. Medicare Part B covers outpatient services like doctor visits and lab tests.
While not everyone pays the full increase, this massive hike proves that the costs of the current bloated healthcare system are out of control. It is another example of why President Trump is pushing for deep, systemic reform to protect American seniors.