While Medicare Part B premiums for 2027 won’t be announced until the fall, it’s likely beneficiaries could see an increase similar to this year’s 9.7% hike … or more, based on inflation and health care costs. 

Depending on your financial situation and life events, you may qualify for a lower Part B premium than initially assigned. Here’s how the premium is calculated, what situations allow for an appeal, and how those appeals work.

Meet IRMAA

All beneficiaries don’t pay the same Part B premium – their total cost includes the Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), which is added to the base Medicare Part B premium for higher income levels.

In 2026, for example, those with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of less than $109,000 ($218,000 for couples filing joint tax returns) pay a $202.90 monthly premium, while those in the highest IRMAA bracket (more than $500,000 in income, or more than $750,000 if filing jointly) pay $689.90 a month.

[FULL CHART: 2026 IRMAA Brackets]

Beneficiaries’ 2026 IRMAA figures were calculated using MAGI from tax year 2024, when available. Next year’s figures will rely on income levels from the 2025 tax year, but if your financial realities aren’t reflected by those figures, you may have options to reduce your premium by requesting a new initial determination.

When to Appeal

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will consider an appeal under five circumstances:

• An amended tax return from the year used to set current premium levels.
  
  
• A correction by the IRS of information used to set current premium levels.
  
  
• A new, 2-year-old tax return available in instances where the SSA used a 3-year-old return to set current premium levels.
  
  
• A change in living arrangement for married beneficiaries using the “married filing separately” tax option from the tax year used to set current premium levels.
  
  
• A “life-changing event” to include a spouse’s death, remarriage, divorce or annulment, work reduction or stoppage, loss of income-producing property, loss or reduction of pension income, or receipt of employer settlement payment.

If you’re in one of the above situations, you can appeal to the SSA to have your premium lowered to match current income levels via a new initial determination.

[MOAA Member Benefit: Veterans Healthcare]

How to Appeal

If your appeal involves a life-changing event, file Form SSA-44 either via SSA.gov or with your local Social Security office.

If your appeal involves other circumstances or you have questions about the process, call the SSA at (800) 772-1213 and ask about lowering your IRMAA due to an amended return, IRS error, or other factors. You may be asked to provide IRS documentation and/or other proof of your claim at a follow-on appointment at your local Social Security office. Review these guidelines for a fuller picture of what you can expect during an initial discussion with a Social Security representative.

This article was originally published in August 2022 and has been updated. Last update: April 1, 2026.