News
Medicare Premiums, Deductibles Increase in 2021
- February 15, 2022
Published November 12, 2020
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Medicare costs typically go up every year, and 2021 will be no exception.
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Premiums, deductibles and coinsurance for both Medicare Part A and Part B will be on the rise in the new year, as announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Nov. 6. Below is an overview of much you’ll pay.
How much are 2021 Medicare Part B Premiums?
The standard Medicare Part B premium, which nearly all beneficiaries pay, will increase to $148.50 per month in 2021 from its current rate of $144.60 in 2020.
The $3.90 increase was much smaller than what had been originally forecasted during a year of larger-than-normal Medicare spending due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress delegated enough money to Medicare in its latest budget to spare beneficiaries from any drastic Part B premium increases.
While most beneficiaries pay the standard premium for Part B, higher income earners may pay more for their coverage as part of the rule for an Income-Related Monthly Adjusted Amount (IRMAA). Not only will the income-adjusted premiums change for 2021, but so too have some of the income bracket limits.
The table below shows what higher income earners will pay for Part B in the new year.
| 2019 Individual tax return | 2019 Joint tax return | 2019 Married and separate tax return | 2021 Part B monthly premium |
|---|---|---|---|
|
$88,000 or less |
$176,000 or less |
$88,000 or less |
$148.50 |
|
More than $88,000 and up to $111,000 |
More than $176,000 and up to $222,000 |
N/A |
$207.90 |
|
More than $111,000 up to $138,000 |
More than $222,000 up to $276,000 |
N/A |
$297.00 |
|
More than $138,000 up to $165,000 |
More than $276,000 up to $330,000 |
N/A |
$386.10 |
|
More than $165,000 up to $500,000 |
More than $330,000 up to $750,000 |
More than $88,000 up to $412,000 |
$475.20 |
|
More than or equal to $500,000 |
More than or equal to $750,000 |
More than or equal to $412,000 |
$504.90 |
The annual 2021 Medicare Part B deductible will increase to $203 for the year, up from its current level of $198.
Medicare Part A premiums increase in 2021
Most people do not pay a premium for their Medicare Part A coverage because they paid enough Medicare taxes over the years to qualify for premium-free Part A. But for those who do have to pay a premium, they will have to pay even more for it in 2021.
- If a beneficiary or their spouse paid between 30 and 39 quarters of Medicare taxes, they will pay $259 per month for Part A premiums in 2021, up from $252 pre month in 2020.
- If a beneficiary or their spouse paid fewer than 30 quarters of Medicare taxes, they will pay $471 per month in 2021, up from $458 per month in 2020.
The Medicare Part A deductible is increasing from $1,408 per benefit period in 2020 to $1,484 per benefit period in 2021.
Part A coinsurance is also on the rise, with beneficiaries owing $371 per day of an inpatient hospital stay, beginning on the 61st day of a benefit period (up from $352 per day in 2020).
Daily coinsurance for lifetime reserve days, which you use after 90 consecutive days of inpatient care in a benefit period, increase from $704 per day to $742 per day in 2021. You only get 60 lifetime reserve days, and you don’t get any more for the rest of your life once they are used.
Part A coinsurance for inpatient skilled nursing facility care increases to $185.50 per day in 2021, up from $176 per day in 2020.
Learn more about Medicare costs in 2021.
About the author
Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.
Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.
Christian has written hundreds of articles for MedicareAvantage.com that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.
Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.
A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@tzhealthmedia.com.
