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Medicare Part B 2027: Medical Coverage, Costs & Enrollment

Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) — Last updated October 1, 2026

Medicare Part B is medical insurance. It covers the care most people use most often: doctor visits, outpatient services, preventive screenings and medical equipment. Unlike Part A, nearly everyone pays a monthly premium for it, and after a small deductible you usually pay 20% of the cost of your care.

Here is what Medicare Part B 2027 covers, what it costs, how income affects your premium and how to sign up without a penalty.

What Medicare Part B covers: doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services and medical equipment

Ready to compare 2027 plans? Choose the coverage you want to see:

Medicare Advantage

All-in-one Part C plans from private carriers. Many may include drug coverage, dental and vision, with an annual out-of-pocket limit. Uses a network.

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Medicare Supplement

Medigap plans that help pay what Original Medicare doesn't. See any doctor nationwide who accepts Medicare. Pair with a Part D plan for drugs.

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What Medicare Part B Covers

  • Doctor services: visits with primary care doctors and specialists, including doctor services while you are in the hospital.
  • Outpatient care: outpatient surgery, emergency room visits, lab tests, X-rays and other imaging.
  • Preventive services: a yearly wellness visit, many cancer screenings and vaccines such as flu and pneumonia shots, often at no cost.
  • Durable medical equipment: items such as walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen equipment and diabetic supplies.
  • Other services: ambulance services, mental health care, physical therapy and some drugs given in a doctor’s office.

What Part B Does Not Cover

Part B does not cover routine dental care, eye exams for glasses, hearing aids or most prescription drugs you fill at a pharmacy. For prescriptions, you need Medicare Part D. Hospital stays themselves are covered by Medicare Part A.

What Part B Costs

Cost 2026 amount
Standard monthly premium $202.90
Yearly deductible $283
Coinsurance after the deductible Usually 20% of the Medicare-approved amount
Yearly out-of-pocket limit None in Original Medicare
Excess charges Up to 15% more from doctors who do not accept assignment

The 2027 Part B premium and deductible are not out yet. Medicare usually announces them in the fall. Both rose in 2026, so plan for the possibility of another increase.

If you get Social Security benefits, your Part B premium is usually taken out of your monthly payment. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer a Part B giveback that reduces it, depending on the plan and area.

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Medicare Part B premium 2026 IRMAA income brackets for individuals and joint filers

Higher Premiums for Higher Incomes (IRMAA)

If your income is above a certain level, you pay an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount on top of the standard premium. It is based on the modified adjusted gross income on your tax return from two years earlier, so 2026 premiums use 2024 income.

Individual income Joint income 2026 monthly Part B premium
$109,000 or less $218,000 or less $202.90
Above $109,000 to $137,000 Above $218,000 to $274,000 $284.10
Above $137,000 to $171,000 Above $274,000 to $342,000 $405.80
Above $171,000 to $205,000 Above $342,000 to $410,000 $527.50
Above $205,000 and under $500,000 Above $410,000 and under $750,000 $649.20
$500,000 or more $750,000 or more $689.90

If your income has dropped because of a life-changing event, such as retirement, you can ask Social Security to recalculate it.

Medicare Part B enrollment periods timeline: Initial Enrollment, Special Enrollment after employer coverage and General Enrollment

When to Sign Up for Part B

  • Initial Enrollment Period: seven months, starting three months before the month you turn 65.
  • Special Enrollment Period: eight months after employer coverage from current work ends, if you delayed Part B because of that coverage.
  • General Enrollment Period: January 1 to March 31 each year if you missed your other chances. Coverage starts the month after you sign up.

If you already get Social Security benefits, you are enrolled automatically. Otherwise, sign up with Social Security. See our Medicare guide for every enrollment window.

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The Part B Late Enrollment Penalty

A PENALTY THAT CAN LAST FOR LIFE

For each full 12 months you could have had Part B but did not, and did not have qualifying employer coverage, your premium goes up 10%. Wait two years and you pay 20% more, usually for as long as you have Part B.

How to Cover the 20% Part B Leaves Behind

Because Original Medicare has no out-of-pocket cap, a long illness can mean large bills. Two common ways to protect yourself:

MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT

Medicare Supplement plans pay all or most of the 20% coinsurance. Plan G covers everything after the Part B deductible, including excess charges.

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE

Medicare Advantage plans replace the 20% with set copays and a yearly out-of-pocket limit of up to $9,850 in-network in 2027. You still pay your Part B premium.

Ready to compare 2027 plans? Choose the coverage you want to see:

Medicare Advantage

All-in-one Part C plans from private carriers. Many may include drug coverage, dental and vision, with an annual out-of-pocket limit. Uses a network.

Compare Medicare Advantage

Medicare Supplement

Medigap plans that help pay what Original Medicare doesn't. See any doctor nationwide who accepts Medicare. Pair with a Part D plan for drugs.

Compare Medicare Supplement

Medicare Part B 2027 FAQs

➤  What is the Medicare Part B premium for 2027?

Medicare has not announced it yet. It is usually released in the fall. The standard Part B premium for 2026 is $202.90 a month, and people with higher incomes pay more.

➤  What does Medicare Part B cover?

Part B covers medically necessary doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services such as screenings and vaccines, lab tests, ambulance services, mental health care and durable medical equipment like walkers and oxygen.

➤  What is the Part B deductible?

The Part B deductible is $283 for 2026. After you meet it, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for covered services, with no yearly cap in Original Medicare.

➤  Can I delay Part B if I am still working?

Usually yes, if you or your spouse have health coverage through current work at an employer with 20 or more employees. You then have eight months after that coverage or employment ends to sign up without a penalty.

➤  What is the Part B late enrollment penalty?

If you do not sign up when first eligible and do not have qualifying employer coverage, your Part B premium goes up 10% for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but did not. In most cases you pay the penalty for as long as you have Part B.

➤  What is IRMAA?

IRMAA, the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, is an extra charge added to Part B and Part D premiums for people with higher incomes. It is based on the income on your tax return from two years earlier. In 2026 it starts for individuals with income above $109,000 and couples above $218,000.

Have Questions?

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