Medicare Part B Just Crossed $200 a Month for the First Time. Here’s What That Means for Retirees

Quick Read Medicare Part B’s standard monthly premium reached $202.90 in 2026, a $17.90 increase from 2025, consuming 9.8% of the average retiree’s $2,071 monthly Social Security check and eating more than 25% of the annual COLA increase. Higher-income retirees face IRMAA surcharges that can push Part B premiums to $689.90 per month—more than three times the standard rate—based on income from two years prior, fundamentally reshaping retirement budgets for those earning above $106,000 individually or $2 ...