Medicare Changes for 2026: What You Need to Know

Each year Medicare updates its premiums, deductibles, and cost-sharing amounts. Here’s a summary of what’s changing for 2026, based on official figures from Medicare.gov.

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance)

Most people continue to pay $0 for Part A because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. If you have to buy Part A, you’ll pay either $311 or $565 per month depending on your work history.

The inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 for each benefit period. Hospital coinsurance is $434 per day for days 61–90, and $868 per day for days 91–150 (lifetime reserve days). For skilled nursing facility stays, days 21–100 cost $217 per day.

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance)

The standard Part B premium is $202.90 per month, though higher earners may pay more. The annual Part B deductible is $283. After you meet the deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for covered services.

Part C, Part D, and Medigap

Medicare Advantage (Part C), Part D drug plans, and Medigap costs vary by plan, location, and other factors, and can change each year.

Help with costs: Extra Help

If you have limited income and resources, the Extra Help program can significantly lower your prescription drug costs. In 2026, those who qualify for full Extra Help pay a $0 premium and $0 deductible, no more than $5.10 for each generic drug and $12.65 for each brand-name drug, and $0 once total drug costs reach $2,100.

Two details worth knowing. If you have full Medicaid along with Medicare and your income is at or below 100% of the federal poverty level, your copays are lower still — $1.60 generic and $4.90 brand. And “total drug costs” means what’s spent on your drugs including payments made on your behalf, not just what comes out of your own pocket, so you reach the $2,100 threshold sooner than you might expect.

Partial Extra Help works on a sliding scale, so if you qualify for partial rather than full, you’ll have a reduced premium and deductible rather than $0.

Source: Medicare.gov