Are Medicare premiums deducted from my Social Security check?
Yes. If you receive Social Security and are enrolled in Medicare Part B, the Part B premium ($202.90 per month for most people in 2026) is automatically deducted from your benefit before it is deposited. Any income-related surcharge (IRMAA) for Part B or Part D is deducted too. Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plan premiums are deducted only if you ask your plan to set that up.
Last reviewed August 17, 2026 · Published August 17, 2026 · Mere Benefits Data Desk
The automatic deduction only happens once you are actually receiving Social Security. If you enrolled in Medicare at 65 but are delaying your Social Security claim, Medicare bills you directly (usually quarterly) until your benefits start, at which point the deduction switches on by itself. People are often startled by that first quarterly bill of $608.70 for 2026, which is simply three months of Part B at $202.90.
What comes out of the check in 2026
| Premium | Deducted from Social Security? | 2026 amount |
|---|---|---|
| Part B standard premium | Yes, automatic | $202.90/mo |
| Part B IRMAA surcharge (higher incomes) | Yes, automatic | Total Part B of $284.10 to $689.90/mo by tier |
| Part D IRMAA surcharge (higher incomes) | Yes, automatic (paid to Medicare, not your plan) | Varies by tier |
| Part D drug plan premium | Optional, at your request | Set by your plan |
| Medicare Advantage plan premium | Optional, at your request | Set by your plan |
| Part A premium | Rarely applies | $0 for most (40+ work credits) |
IRMAA applies for 2026 when modified adjusted gross income on your 2024 tax return exceeds $109,000 (single) or $218,000 (joint).
A worked example
Robert’s Social Security benefit for 2026 is $2,356 per month after the 2.8% COLA. He pays no IRMAA and asked his Part D plan to withhold its premium from Social Security. His deposit looks like this: $2,356 minus $202.90 (Part B) minus his Part D plan premium. If that drug plan charges around $30, roughly $2,123 reaches his bank account. Nothing is wrong with his benefit; the gap between his award letter amount and his deposit is just Medicare riding along.
The hold harmless protection
A rule called hold harmless prevents a Part B premium increase from reducing your net Social Security deposit from one year to the next, for people who had premiums deducted in both years and do not pay IRMAA. In years with a tiny COLA, that can leave some people paying less than the standard Part B premium. For 2026 the 2.8% COLA outpaces the $17.90 Part B increase for most benefit amounts, so hold harmless mostly stays in the background. It never protects IRMAA payers, new enrollees, or people whose premiums are not yet deducted from a benefit.
Here’s the mistake I see people make: choosing direct billing for a Part D or Medicare Advantage premium, then missing a payment during a busy month and risking plan disenrollment. If you want the deduction, request it through the plan (not Social Security), and expect it to take a month or two to begin, with any missed months caught up in one deduction.
Sources
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