Medicare Part D
Downey Guide to 2026 Medicare IRMAA Income Thresholds
Downey, Calif. — If your income has climbed in recent years, your 2027 Medicare bill may look different than your neighbor's. That is because of IRMAA — the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount — a surcharge that higher-income beneficiaries pay on top of their standard Part B and Part D premiums. With the fall Annual Enrollment Period running October 15 through December 7, this is the season to understand where you fall on the income scale and how to avoid a surprise letter from Social Security.
Compare Medicare Part D options near you
Answer 3 quick questions to see Medicare Part D listings from licensed insurance partners.
What’s your ZIP code?
Plan availability is set by your county, so we start here.
How old are you?
This helps match you with options you’re eligible for.
Do you have Medicare Parts A & B?
This affects which Medicare Part D options you can choose.
These listings are provided by licensed insurance partners.
Will your prescriptions still be covered in 2027?
Part D plans rewrite their drug lists every year — tiers move, pharmacies change, drugs drop off. One call checks your exact medications against the 2027 plans in your area.
- Every prescription checked, name by name
- Your pharmacy checked for preferred pricing
Available now — current wait: 0 min
A real person answers. No phone menu, ever.
Want to see more plan options?
Answer a few more questions to continue to additional options from licensed partners.
Continue →Advertising disclosure: MyMedicarePlans.org may be compensated when you contact a partner or licensed agent. Listings are not ranked or endorsed by us, and we do not recommend specific plans. You can also contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Speak to a Licensed Insurance Agent
Click to call 855-729-3240
Key takeaways
- IRMAA is an extra monthly charge added to Part B and, if you have drug coverage, Part D premiums for people with higher incomes.
- For 2026, the surcharge starts for single filers with income above $109,000 and for married couples filing jointly above $218,000, based mainly on your 2024 tax return.
- If you have a life-changing event like retirement, divorce, or losing a spouse, you can file Form SSA-44 to ask Social Security to use more recent income.
- IRMAA is recalculated each year and you have 60 days to request a reconsideration if you disagree with your determination notice.
What IRMAA actually is
IRMAA is not a separate plan or a penalty for signing up late. It is an extra monthly amount added to your Part B premium and, if you have drug coverage, your Part D premium. It applies only to people whose income sits above certain thresholds set by Medicare each year.
Social Security decides who owes IRMAA by looking at your most recent tax return on file — usually from two years ago. That means your 2027 surcharge is generally based on your 2025 income. If you cross a bracket by even one dollar, you move up to the next surcharge level.
The 2026 income thresholds
For 2026, IRMAA begins for single filers with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above $109,000, and for married couples filing jointly above $218,000. From there, surcharges rise in steps, with the highest bracket reserved for singles above roughly $500,000 and couples above $750,000.
The surcharge grows at each tier, and it applies separately to Part B and Part D. So a person in a higher bracket pays two add-ons — one folded into their Part B premium, and one added to whatever their Part D drug plan charges.
The 2027 IRMAA brackets and Part B figures have not yet been published; CMS typically releases them later in the fall. For the exact dollar amounts in each tier once finalized, the authoritative source is medicare.gov's "Costs" page.
Why 2027 matters more than usual
Two program changes make understanding your income bracket especially important heading into next year:
- Part D has a hard out-of-pocket cap for covered drugs — $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027.
- The Part D deductible maximum is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
- The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone — Part D now has just three phases (deductible, initial coverage, catastrophic).
These changes make Part D more predictable for people with high drug costs. But if IRMAA applies to you, the Part D surcharge is added on top of your plan's premium, and it is billed by Medicare — not by your drug plan. Many people are caught off guard by that separate bill.
The mistakes that cost people the most
Here in Downey — part of Los Angeles County, where dozens of Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D plans are offered — the most common IRMAA mistakes are avoidable:
1. Not planning for one-time income events. Selling a home, cashing out an IRA, or taking a large Roth conversion in 2025 can push your 2027 income into a higher bracket for one year only. 2. Missing the appeal window after a life change. If you retired, lost a spouse, divorced, or had another qualifying "life-changing event," you can ask Social Security to use more recent income by filing Form SSA-44. 3. Assuming IRMAA is permanent. It is recalculated every year. If your income drops, your surcharge drops the following year. 4. Ignoring the letter. Social Security mails an IRMAA determination notice. If you disagree, you have 60 days to request a reconsideration.
How you actually pay it
If you receive Social Security, the Part B portion (including any IRMAA) is typically deducted from your monthly benefit. The Part D IRMAA is billed separately by Medicare, even though your drug coverage comes from a private plan. Missing those Part D IRMAA bills can eventually affect your coverage, so watch the mail.
What to do this fall
- Look at your 2025 tax return. That is the number Social Security will likely use for 2027.
- If you had a life-changing event, download Form SSA-44 at ssa.gov and be ready to submit it with documentation.
- Use the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) to review your Part D or Medicare Advantage drug coverage on medicare.gov's Plan Finder. IRMAA doesn't change based on which plan you pick, but your total out-of-pocket costs will.
- Ask about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, a new option that lets you spread drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Los Angeles County
(MA penetration in Los Angeles County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Higher-income surcharges
2026 IRMAA income brackets
If your income is above a threshold, you pay an income-related surcharge (IRMAA) on top of your Part B and Part D premiums. Your 2027 surcharge is based on your 2025 tax return. CMS publishes the 2027 bracket amounts later in the fall.
| Income — single filer | Income — married, joint | Part B monthly premium | Part D surcharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109,000 or less | $218,000 or less | $202.90 | Plan premium only |
| $109,001 – $137,000 | $218,001 – $274,000 | $284.10 | + $14.50 |
| $137,001 – $171,000 | $274,001 – $342,000 | $405.80 | + $37.40 |
| $171,001 – $205,000 | $342,001 – $410,000 | $527.50 | + $60.40 |
| $205,001 – $500,000 | $410,001 – $750,000 | $649.30 | + $83.30 |
| Above $500,000 | Above $750,000 | $689.90 | + $91.00 |
Standard Part B premium is $202.90/month. Part D surcharges are added to your drug plan’s premium. Married-filing-separately uses a different, compressed schedule. Confirm current amounts at Medicare.gov.
Try it
Find your 2026 Medicare premium
Most people pay the standard Part B premium. If your 2024 income was higher, an income-related surcharge (IRMAA) applies. Enter your details to see your bracket.
Surcharges are added to your premiums and based on your 2024 tax return. Married-filing-separately uses a different schedule. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
Try it
How the 2026 Part D drug cap works
Slide to your estimated yearly prescription costs and see how the new $2,100 out-of-pocket cap protects you. This illustrates the standard Part D benefit; your plan may structure costs differently.
Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs reaches $2,100, you pay nothing more for the rest of 2026. Confirm details at Medicare.gov.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Q: I just retired this year. Will I still owe IRMAA in 2027 based on my old salary?
Q: Does IRMAA apply to Medicare Advantage plans?
Q: If my income drops in 2027, when does my surcharge go down?
- CMS — Medicare costs & IRMAA (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.