Overview
- CMS confirmed a $17.90 monthly increase to $202.90, which analysts say is the second-largest dollar jump on record.
- The agency attributes the rise to projected price and utilization growth, and a wound-care payment change kept the premium about $11 lower than it otherwise would have been.
- The annual Part B deductible will increase to $283, and higher-income enrollees will face total monthly Part B charges ranging from $284.10 to $689.90 next year.
- For an average beneficiary, the premium hike trims the effective COLA to about 1.9%, with roughly a million people buffered by the Social Security “hold harmless” rule.
- Medicare Advantage options are shrinking for 2026, with an estimated 10% fewer plans, over 2 million losing current choices, slimmer supplemental benefits, and higher out-of-pocket caps.