Medicare Part B Premium to increase by 11.6% for 2026

Trade

Trade

Well-known Member
https://www.thestreet.com/retirement/retired-workers-to-see-shocking-change-to-medicare-in-2026

It’s only an estimate — but if history is any guide, it’s one you’ll want to watch.

Tucked deep inside the 267-page 2025 Medicare Trustees report is a projection that the standard monthly Medicare Part B premium could rise to $206.50 in 2026.

That’s an 11.6% jump from the $185 premium set for 2025 — and it would be the largest single-year increase since 2016, when premiums climbed 16.1%, from $104.90 to $121.80.


:mad:
 

Aunt Bea said:
It’s still a bargain compared to what I was paying for health insurance prior to Medicare.

The out of pocket cost of my drugs for one month would be significantly more than my entire annual Medicare premium.
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When I add the cost of part B, part D, which is my prescriptions and my supplemental plan I spend 450/month. Unfortunately the supplemental plan is age rated, and it will go up every year.

A friend of mine got priced out when she turned 80 and was forced to go on an inferior Medicare advantage plan. When I worked, my insurance was much cheaper.
 
Teacher Terry said:
When I add the cost of part B, part D, which is my prescriptions and my supplemental plan I spend 450/month. Unfortunately the supplemental plan is age rated, and it will go up every year.

A friend of mine got priced out when she turned 80 and was forced to go on an inferior Medicare advantage plan. When I worked, my insurance was much cheaper.
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I’m sure that it’s different for each of us.

When I worked, 20 years ago, my health insurance was much cheaper too.

When I stopped working and had to purchase my own health insurance the premiums were above $1,000.00/month and Medicare was a very valuable benefit to me, it still is.

I’ve been content with my inferior Medicare Advantage plan.
 
https://www.thestreet.com/retirement/retired-workers-to-see-shocking-change-to-medicare-in-2026
Trade said:
It’s only an estimate — but if history is any guide, it’s one you’ll want to watch.

Tucked deep inside the 267-page 2025 Medicare Trustees report is a projection that the standard monthly Medicare Part B premium could rise to $206.50 in 2026.

That’s an 11.6% jump from the $185 premium set for 2025 — and it would be the largest single-year increase since 2016, when premiums climbed 16.1%, from $104.90 to $121.80.


:mad:
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Here is an excerpt from a larger article that explains why:

The private health insurance market, like the kind of coverage people get through their employer, doesn't see anywhere near the level of marketing that Medicare Advantage does. Why? Because many Medicare Advantage insurers have learned how to maximize revenue by claiming their enrollees are sicker than they really are. So they are effectively scamming everyone—from the federal government to taxpayers to seniors.

To keep the federal dollars flowing, insurers donate millions of dollars to Congressional candidates and spend even more on lobbying. That goes a long way toward explaining why every year hundreds of members of congress sign on to an industry-generated letter expressing support for the Medicare Advantage program. This despite numerous reports and studies over the years that document how insurers have rigged the program to get billions more dollars from taxpayers unlawfully.

In June of this year, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held an oversight hearing on Medicare Advantage plans. The findings were shocking. Witnesses from MedPAC confirmed that Medicare Advantage plans were "upcoding," making seniors seem sicker than they are just to pocket the extra payments from the federal government. The report showed that in just one year, upcoding accounted for $12 billion in additional payments to Medicare Advantage plans, which would not have been made if the enrollees had remained in traditional Medicare. Meanwhile, these same Medicare Advantage plans deny coverage and use delay tactics to prevent seniors from accessing much-needed care.

In short, Advantage plans use a deceptive coding system to extort extra money from Medicare (In the billions), so the premiums sent to Advantage plans are higher than regular Medicare premiums, which causes a shortfall in Medicare revenue. The solution is to raise premiums for everyone, and 2/3 of the windfall goes to profits for the Advantage plans.
 
mathjak107 said:
but you still pay the same part b even with an advantage plan yes ? it just goes to the insurance company correct towards part c ?
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I pay the standard Medicare premium of $185.00 for part B and zero premium for the advantage plan.

It works for me now but it could go the other way if in the future if I become a frequent flyer and have to pay multiple hospital deductibles.

It’s all a crap shoot with many variables but I’m content with my choice.
 
bobcat said:
https://www.thestreet.com/retirement/retired-workers-to-see-shocking-change-to-medicare-in-2026

Here is an excerpt from a larger article that explains why:

The private health insurance market, like the kind of coverage people get through their employer, doesn't see anywhere near the level of marketing that Medicare Advantage does. Why? Because many Medicare Advantage insurers have learned how to maximize revenue by claiming their enrollees are sicker than they really are. So they are effectively scamming everyone—from the federal government to taxpayers to seniors.

To keep the federal dollars flowing, insurers donate millions of dollars to Congressional candidates and spend even more on lobbying. That goes a long way toward explaining why every year hundreds of members of congress sign on to an industry-generated letter expressing support for the Medicare Advantage program. This despite numerous reports and studies over the years that document how insurers have rigged the program to get billions more dollars from taxpayers unlawfully.

In June of this year, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held an oversight hearing on Medicare Advantage plans. The findings were shocking. Witnesses from MedPAC confirmed that Medicare Advantage plans were "upcoding," making seniors seem sicker than they are just to pocket the extra payments from the federal government. The report showed that in just one year, upcoding accounted for $12 billion in additional payments to Medicare Advantage plans, which would not have been made if the enrollees had remained in traditional Medicare. Meanwhile, these same Medicare Advantage plans deny coverage and use delay tactics to prevent seniors from accessing much-needed care.

In short, Advantage plans use a deceptive coding system to extort extra money from Medicare (In the billions), so the premiums sent to Advantage plans are higher than regular Medicare premiums, which causes a shortfall in Medicare revenue. The solution is to raise premiums for everyone, and 2/3 of the windfall goes to profits for the Advantage plans.
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this is 100% the case and why when you are medicare age you are pushed hard by brokers and health care services into advantage plans .

they call , they write you , you are confronted with commercials .

its a huge money maker for these plans and then they cheat their insured denying things every where they can justify it.

while they are supposed to cover what medicare covers ,you don’t have medicare and they know you can’t prove what medicare would have paid for in your specific case

the saying NOTHING IS A PROBLEM UNTIL ITS A PROBLEM , was written with advantage plans in mind .

i never want a for profit insurance company as my gate keeper , i want not for profit medicare
 
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Aunt Bea said:
I’m sure that it’s different for each of us.

When I worked, 20 years ago, my health insurance was much cheaper too.

When I stopped working and had to purchase my own health insurance the premiums were above $1,000.00/month and Medicare was a very valuable benefit to me, it still is.

I’ve been content with my inferior Medicare Advantage plan.
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If you have an employer sponsored Medicare advantage plan it’s probably a very good plan. I have noticed those people have been really happy with their plans. I consider inferior are the ones that people have to buy on their own.
 
I am SO glad I signed up for Plan G. It started Jan 1st. Middle of January ... surprise surprise ... three day hospital visit. There were some big bills. I think my total out of pocket was about $500.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I have one if the plans that you consider to be inferior.
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I sincerely hope it works out well for you. I do worry about eventually being priced out of regular Medicare, which happened to a friend of mine when she turned 80. The prices just keep increasing and eventually she couldn’t afford it and had to take an advantage plan.

She resigned herself to knowing that if she had a cancer that couldn’t be treated locally or another odd condition that she would probably just die. That may never happen so it’s really all a crapshoot.
 
againstthegrain said:
Usually people are happier w a product that some else pays for and if one is retired getting an employer paid for plan is not possible so it's irrelevant if some are happier or one plan is inferior. We got what we got and that's it.
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Exactly!

So far my zero premium advantage plan has met my needs and expectations at no cost to me and a savings of several thousand dollars that might otherwise have been spent on insurance premiums.

I’m confident that we will all find our way to the exit and that in the end it won’t make much difference which plan we chose.😉🤭😂
 
OneEyedDiva said:
What a joke (but not so funny)! So we'll get a 2.5% COLA, but will be paying 11.6% more for Medicare! So already our COLA has been totally obliterated. SMH!
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the part missed here is the hold harmless provision protects those collecting already from ever having an increase in medicare larger than the cola .

so ones check can never be reduced by medicare increases .

that is something those on regular insurance would love to have .

they are seeing insurance increases way larger than their raises are , if they even got any.

the increases at work and reduction in what’s covered as far as out of pocket is insane
 
Trade said:
https://www.thestreet.com/retirement/retired-workers-to-see-shocking-change-to-medicare-in-2026

It’s only an estimate — but if history is any guide, it’s one you’ll want to watch.

Tucked deep inside the 267-page 2025 Medicare Trustees report is a projection that the standard monthly Medicare Part B premium could rise to $206.50 in 2026.

That’s an 11.6% jump from the $185 premium set for 2025 — and it would be the largest single-year increase since 2016, when premiums climbed 16.1%, from $104.90 to $121.80.


:mad:
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only those not already collecting would see that size jump

everyone collecting has increases capped at whatever the cola is
 
mathjak107 said:
only those not already collecting would see that size jump

everyone collecting has increases capped at whatever the cola is
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That only lasts until the next time your cola exceeds the medicare part b increase. Then you get hit with a higher part b premium increase to make up for it.
 
Trade said:
That only lasts until the next time your cola exceeds the medicare part b increase. Then you get hit with a higher part b premium increase to make up for it.
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no one’s check is reduced when medicare premiums go higher than colas if one is collecting .

so next time the following year again the increase is off what you paid the year before and the cola for next year .

insurance costs have been rising every year as far back as i remember .

when i worked they exceeded my increases if i even got any .

so medicare limiting it to colas is a blessing in comparison

the people that get burned are those delaying ss since they are not covered under hold harmless
 
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