The premium almost everyone pays
Part B has a standard monthly premium that most people pay, plus an annual deductible before Part B starts covering its share. After the deductible, Original Medicare generally pays 80% of the approved amount for covered services and you pay the remaining 20%, with no annual cap on that 20%.
That missing cap is the single most important cost fact about Original Medicare, and it is why Medigap exists.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Standard monthly premium | $202.90 |
| Annual deductible | $283 |
| Your share after the deductible | 20% of the Medicare-approved amount |
| Annual cap on your 20% | None |
Source: CMS, 14 November 2025
Hospital costs are per benefit period, not per year
Part A charges a deductible per benefit period rather than per calendar year. A benefit period starts the day you are admitted and ends when you have been out of hospital or skilled nursing care for 60 days in a row. Two separate hospital stays in one year can mean two deductibles.
| Item | Amount in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Inpatient hospital deductible, per benefit period | $1,736 |
| Days 1 to 60 of a hospital stay | $0 after the deductible |
| Days 61 to 90 | $434 a day |
| Lifetime reserve days (60 in a lifetime) | $868 a day |
| Skilled nursing facility, days 21 to 100 | $217 a day |
Source: CMS, 14 November 2025
What has not been published yet
As this guide was last reviewed, CMS had published the 2027 Part D parameters but not the 2027 Part A or Part B premiums and deductibles, and not the 2027 IRMAA brackets. Those usually arrive in the autumn.
Figures for the 2027 Part B premium circulating before then come from the Medicare Trustees Report, which publishes intermediate projections rather than final amounts. This site does not present a projection as a published figure, so you will not find a 2027 Part B number here until CMS releases one.
Your cost is not the standard cost
Two things move your figure away from the table above. Higher incomes pay an income-related surcharge on Parts B and D. And the plan you choose changes almost everything else, because a Medicare Advantage plan replaces the cost-sharing structure while a Medigap policy covers parts of it.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Medicare Part B in 2026?
The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, with an annual deductible of $283. People with higher incomes pay more under IRMAA, which is assessed from the tax return filed two years earlier.
Does Original Medicare have an out-of-pocket maximum?
No. After the Part B deductible you generally pay 20% of the approved amount for covered services with no annual cap. That open-ended 20% is the gap Medigap policies and Medicare Advantage out-of-pocket maximums are designed to address.
Is the Part A deductible annual?
No, it applies per benefit period. A benefit period ends after you have been out of hospital or skilled nursing care for 60 consecutive days, so more than one hospital admission in a year can mean paying the deductible more than once.
What will Medicare cost in 2027?
The 2027 Part D maximum deductible is $700 and the out-of-pocket cap is $2,400. The 2027 Part A and Part B figures had not been published by CMS when this guide was last reviewed, so no final 2027 premium exists to quote.
Sources
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles · published 2025-11-14
- CMS: Annual Release of the Part D National Average Bid Amount, CY2027 · published 2026-07-28
- Medicare & You 2027 (CMS product 10050)
This guide explains officially published rules and figures. It is not an insurance quote and not an eligibility determination. Only HealthCare.gov, Medicare.gov, Social Security or the carrier can determine your eligibility and your actual price.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
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