Most older adults are eligible for Medicare Part A and do not pay a premium, but an estimated 772,000 individuals in 2026 who are aged 65 years and older, and some individuals with disabilities who are not otherwise eligible for Medicare Part A, will pay a Medicare Part A premium of $565 per month. An additional 103,000 enrollees will be eligible for a reduced monthly premium of $311. The 2026 premiums reflect a 9.1% increase over the current year.

The CY2026 inpatient hospital deductible for all Medicare beneficiaries is $1,736. Inpatient hospital coinsurance for days 61-90 will cost beneficiaries $434/day and lifetime reserve days are $868/day in 2026. Medicare coinsurance in skilled nursing facilities (SNF) for days 21-100 will increase to $217/day.

In Medicare Part B, standard Part B premiums for CY2026 will be $202.90. This is a 9.7% increase over 2025 but less than the $206.50 that many had projected the premiums would be set. Some individuals with higher incomes are subject to a higher Part B premium.

Interestingly, CMS notes in their fact sheet on the 2026 Part B premiums and deductibles that if the administration had not taken action to address unprecedented spending on skin substitutes as part of the CY2026 Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, the Part B premium increase would have been about $11 higher each month. Under the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule, CMS will pay for skin substitute products as incident-to supplies beginning in 2026, instead of treating the products as biologics with an average sales price-based methodology. This change is expected to reduce spending on skin substitutes by 90% without affecting patient care.

The Medicare Part B deductible for all Part B beneficiaries in 2026 will be $283.

Some federal programs use this information in determining an individual’s eligibility for government assistance. Also, of note, these increases are significantly higher than the 2.8% cost of living adjustment recently announced for monthly Social Security benefits, which will mean many older adults will have less disposable income in 2026 as their health care out-of-pocket costs rise faster than their Social Security income. MedPAC has reported that Part B spending is growing faster than Medicare Part A and so Part B premiums can be expected to continue to similarly rise in future years as more Medicare services shift to outpatient.

Full details on these announcements and the underlying assumptions in their calculations can be found here for Part A Premiums, Part B, and inpatient hospital and skilled nursing facility out of pocket costs and the CMS Fact Sheet. 

Summary

2026 Medicare Part A costs

• Part A premium: Most older adults are eligible for Part A premium-free; a few will pay up to $565/month
• Part A Inpatient hospital deductible: $1,736
• Hospital coinsurance:
  • Days 61-90: $434/day
  • Lifetime reserve days: $868/day
• SNF coinsurance for days 21-100: $217/day

2026 Medicare Part B Costs

• Standard Monthly Part B premium = $202.90 (optional, varies by income)
• Part B annual deductible: $283
• Part B per service coinsurance: 20%