For most people, the Medicare Part B premium comes straight out of their Social Security check, and they never have to think about paying it. But if you're not yet collecting Social Security, Medicare bills you directly, and missing those payments can cost you your coverage. This guide explains how the Part B premium gets paid, the four ways to handle a bill if you owe one, and the one method worth setting up so a missed payment never threatens your Medicare.
How most people pay: automatic deduction
If you already receive Social Security, paying your Medicare premium is something that happens without any action on your part. The standard Medicare Part B premium is deducted automatically from your monthly Social Security benefit before it reaches your bank account. The same is true if you receive Railroad Retirement Board benefits instead.
This is the situation for the majority of beneficiaries, and it's the reason many people are never sure how the premium gets paid in the first place. There's nothing to set up and nothing to remember. The amount comes out, the rest of your benefit is deposited, and the premium is handled.
The premium itself, for reference, is $202.90 a month in 2026 for most people. Higher earners pay more through an income-related surcharge, covered further down.
If you don't get Social Security: the Medicare Premium Bill
The picture changes if you're enrolled in Medicare but not yet drawing Social Security, which is common for people who keep working past 65 or who delay claiming benefits. With no benefit check to deduct from, Medicare sends you a bill.
That bill is the Medicare Premium Bill, form CMS-500, and it arrives quarterly, covering three months of premiums at a time. (If you also pay a Part A premium, which most people don't, it's included on the same bill.) The key detail to remember is the due date: Medicare premium bills are due on the 25th of the month.
This is where coverage can actually be lost. If the bill goes unpaid, Medicare can eventually terminate your coverage. That risk is the strongest argument for setting up an automatic method rather than relying on yourself to mail a check four times a year.
The four ways to pay your Medicare bill
When you owe a bill, Medicare gives you four ways to pay your premium. They differ mostly in how much they protect you from forgetting.
| Method | How it works | Why you'd choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Easy Pay | Free automatic deduction from a checking or savings account each month | Set it once; it pays on time and adjusts automatically when the premium changes |
| Online Medicare account | Pay through your secure account at Medicare.gov by credit, debit, HSA card, or bank account | The fastest way to pay, and good for one-off payments |
| Bank online bill-pay | Schedule the payment through your own bank's bill-pay service | Convenient if you already manage bills through your bank (some banks charge a fee) |
| By mail | Send the payment coupon to the Medicare Premium Collection Center | A paper option if you prefer to mail a check |
A closer look at each:
Medicare Easy Pay is the one Medicare recommends, and for good reason. It's a free service that automatically pulls your premium from a checking or savings account each month. Because it's tied to Medicare directly, it updates on its own when your premium changes from one year to the next, so you never have to adjust the amount. Set it up once and the missed-payment risk essentially disappears.
The online Medicare account lets you pay through your secure account at Medicare.gov using a credit card, debit card, HSA card, or linked bank account. It's the fastest method and the right tool when you want to make a single payment quickly, though you do have to log in and pay each time.
Your bank's online bill-pay works the way any other bill payment does: you schedule Medicare as a payee through your bank. It's convenient if you already pay everything through your bank, but be aware some banks charge a fee for the service.
Paying by mail is the paper route. You send the payment coupon from your bill to the Medicare Premium Collection Center. It works, but it puts the timing entirely on you, so if you go this way, mail well ahead of the 25th.
What higher earners pay: IRMAA
The $202.90 standard premium isn't what everyone pays. Beneficiaries with higher incomes pay an income-related surcharge on top of it, known as the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, or IRMAA. It's based on your tax return from two years earlier, so your 2026 premium reflects your 2024 income.
In 2026, the surcharge begins above $109,000 in income for a single filer, or $218,000 for a couple filing jointly, and rises in tiers. At the top tier, the total Part B premium reaches $689.90 a month. A parallel surcharge applies to Part D drug coverage at the same income thresholds. If your income has dropped since the tax year Medicare is using, you can ask Social Security to reconsider. The full mechanics, including how to appeal, are in the dedicated IRMAA guide.
Whether you pay the standard premium or a surcharge, how you pay it follows the same rules above: automatic deduction if you're on Social Security, or a quarterly bill if you're not.
Frequently asked questions
Only if you're not receiving Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board benefits. If you are, the Part B premium is deducted from your monthly benefit automatically, and you don't pay it separately. If you're not yet collecting benefits, Medicare sends you a quarterly Medicare Premium Bill to pay.
Medicare premium bills are due on the 25th of the month. If you pay by mail or one-time online payment, send it well ahead of that date. Setting up Medicare Easy Pay avoids the deadline entirely, since it deducts the premium automatically each month.
Missing payments can eventually lead to losing your Medicare coverage. That's why an automatic method like Medicare Easy Pay is the safest choice for anyone who pays by bill rather than through Social Security.
No. The standard premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, but higher earners pay an income-related surcharge called IRMAA on top of it, based on their tax return from two years earlier. The same income brackets add a surcharge to Part D coverage.
Learn More
- What Is Medicare? Parts A, B, C, and D explained
- IRMAA: the high-income premium surcharge
- Medicare enrollment periods and deadlines
Find personalized help managing your Medicare premium payments at brevy.com.
The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.