Medicare Part D

West Haven Medicare IRMAA & Premiums 2027

West Haven, Connecticut — As Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs through December 7, many local retirees are opening mail from Social Security and finding a surprise: a notice that their 2026 Part B or Part D premium will be higher than the standard amount. The reason is a rule called IRMAA — the income-related monthly adjustment amount — and for 2026, it kicks in once a single filer's income tops $109,000.

Here's a plain-English look at how income affects what you pay for Medicare in 2027, and what to do if you think the numbers don't fit your situation.

What IRMAA actually is

IRMAA stands for Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It's an extra charge added on top of the standard Medicare Part B premium and the Part D prescription drug premium if your income is above a certain level.

A few key points to keep in mind:

• IRMAA is not a penalty. It's a surcharge tied to income.
• It applies to both Part B (doctor visits, outpatient care) and Part D (prescription drugs), even if you get your drug coverage through a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Social Security — not your plan — bills you for the extra amount. If you're not yet drawing Social Security, you'll get a separate bill.

The income thresholds

For 2026, IRMAA begins once your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) crosses these lines:

• Single filer: more than $109,000
• Married filing jointly: more than $218,000
• Married filing separately: a much lower threshold (check medicare.gov for the exact figure)

The income Medicare looks at is usually from your tax return two years ago — so your 2027 premiums are generally based on your 2025 tax return. There are several IRMAA tiers above the first threshold, and the higher your income, the higher the surcharge on both Part B and Part D.

If your income is at or below $109,000 (single) or $218,000 (joint), you pay the standard Part B premium and no Part D surcharge.

Why the two-year lookback matters

Because Medicare uses income from two years back, a big one-time event on your 2025 return — selling a house, cashing out an investment, taking a large IRA withdrawal, or the year you retired — can push you into an IRMAA tier in 2027 even if your current income is much lower.

The good news: you can ask Social Security to reconsider.

Life changes that can lower your IRMAA

Social Security allows you to request a new IRMAA determination if you've had a qualifying life-changing event, including:

• Marriage, divorce, or the death of a spouse
• You or your spouse stopped working or reduced hours
• Loss of income-producing property (not from a sale)
• Loss or reduction of a pension
• A settlement payment from a former employer

The form to use is SSA-44 ("Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount – Life-Changing Event"). You'll attach proof — a marriage certificate, a letter from an employer, or a tax return showing the change. If approved, Social Security recalculates your surcharge, sometimes removing it entirely.

The rest of the Part D cost picture

Even if IRMAA applies to you, some big Part D protections still work in your favor in 2027:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your prescription spending hits that ceiling, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615 for 2026 and $700 for 2027.
• The old coverage gap (donut hole) is gone — as of 2025, Part D has three simpler phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs into monthly installments instead of paying large amounts at the pharmacy counter. It's optional and free to sign up.

What West Haven residents can do during AEP

West Haven is in New Haven County, where a range of Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D plans are available. The 2027 lineup for your area is detailed in each plan's Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder. If you're comparing options during the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7), remember that changing plans doesn't change your IRMAA — that surcharge follows your income, not your plan choice. But choosing a plan that fits your prescriptions and doctors can still make a real difference in your total yearly costs.

If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan and later want to switch, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31) gives you one more chance to change.