Medicare Part D

Topeka IRMAA & Medicare Premiums for 2027

TOPEKA, Kan. — As Medicare's fall Annual Enrollment Period runs through Dec. 7, many Kansans are noticing something on their coverage notices that catches them off guard: an income-related surcharge added to their Part B and Part D premiums. If your 2025 tax return showed higher income, that number could quietly raise what you pay in 2027.

Here's a plain-language guide to how the surcharge — called IRMAA — works, how the thresholds work, and the mistakes that trip people up.

What IRMAA is, in plain terms

IRMAA stands for the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It's an extra amount added on top of the standard Medicare Part B premium and, separately, on top of your Part D drug plan premium. It's not a penalty for doing anything wrong — it's simply how Medicare asks higher-income beneficiaries to pay a larger share of the program's cost.

Two things to know up front:

• IRMAA is set by the Social Security Administration, using income data from the IRS.
• It's based on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) from two years ago. So your 2027 surcharge is based on your 2025 tax return.

Most people on Medicare don't pay IRMAA at all. It only kicks in above certain income thresholds.

The income thresholds for 2027

For 2026, IRMAA begins for single filers with a MAGI above $109,000, and for married couples filing jointly above $218,000. Below those numbers, you pay the standard Part B premium and only your plan's regular Part D premium.

Above those thresholds, IRMAA climbs in tiers. The more your income exceeds the first bracket, the larger the surcharge — with the highest tier applying to single filers with MAGI at or above $500,000 (or $750,000 for joint filers). The exact dollar amounts for each 2026 tier are published by CMS on Medicare.gov each fall.

A few important details:

• IRMAA is charged per person, not per household. A working couple where both are on Medicare could each owe a surcharge.
• The Part B surcharge is typically pulled from your Social Security check.
• The Part D surcharge is separate — Social Security bills you directly for it, even if your drug plan premium is otherwise paid to a private insurer.

Why this fall matters more than usual

A few things are converging that make understanding your income picture more important for 2027:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, which continues to help people on expensive medications.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615 for 2026 and $700 for 2027.
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap is gone — Part D now has just three phases.
• The optional Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying big pharmacy bills all at once.

These changes affect what you pay at the pharmacy. IRMAA affects what you pay in premiums. They're separate buckets — and both deserve a look during Annual Enrollment.

Life changes that can lower your surcharge

This is where people most often leave money on the table. If a major life event has reduced your income since your 2024 tax return, you can ask Social Security to recalculate your IRMAA. Qualifying events include:

• Retirement or reduced work hours
• Death of a spouse
• Marriage or divorce
• Loss of pension income
• Loss of income-producing property (not from your own sale)

You request this by filing Form SSA-44 ("Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount – Life-Changing Event") with documentation. Many people who qualify never file it because they don't know it exists.

Mistakes to avoid this fall

• Assuming a one-time income spike is permanent. Selling a home, cashing out an IRA, or taking a Roth conversion in 2025 can push you into IRMAA for 2027 — but only for one year. Plan for the bump; don't panic about it.
• Ignoring the initial determination letter. If Social Security sends you an IRMAA notice, read it. You have the right to appeal if the income used is wrong or outdated.
• Forgetting the Part D piece. Even if your drug plan premium looks low, the IRMAA surcharge is billed separately and adds to your total cost.
• Missing the Dec. 7 deadline to change plans for 2027 coverage that starts Jan. 1.

Topeka is in Shawnee County, where Medicare beneficiaries have a wide range of stand-alone Part D and Medicare Advantage options to compare during Annual Enrollment. The Kansas SHICK program (the state's SHIP counselors) can walk you through choices at no cost.