Why would my Medicare premium be higher than standard?

That's IRMAA, a surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums for people whose income two years back was above a certain level. For 2026, the added Part B amount runs from $81.20 to $487 a month. If your income has gone down since then, for example because you retired, you can ask Social Security to recalculate it.

More detail

Here's a common case. You retired last year, so your income went down. But Social Security looks at your tax return from 2 years ago, when you were still working full time. That's why someone newly retired can get an IRMAA notice they didn't expect.

A few things people miss: • IRMAA also adds an extra amount for drug coverage, even when your drug coverage is part of a Medicare Advantage plan • That extra drug amount is paid to Medicare, not to your plan. If it isn't paid, you could lose your drug coverage • It's charged separately even if a former employer pays your plan premium

What to do: if your income has gone down because of a life-changing event, you can ask Social Security to take another look, and I can help you with the request, step by step. Have your recent tax returns and papers that show the change ready.

If an IRMAA letter shows up in your mailbox, send me a note and we'll go through it together.