How to Pay Your Medicare Premium: 4 Ways (2026)

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 eventually cost you your coverage. This guide explains how the premium gets paid, the four ways to handle a bill if you owe one, the due date, and the one method worth setting up so a missed payment never threatens your Medicare.

How most people pay their Medicare premium: 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.1

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.1

For reference, the standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month in 2026, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Higher earners pay more through an income-related surcharge, covered further down.2

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.1

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 owe a Part A premium, it appears on the same bill. Most people pay $0 for Part A because they earned premium-free Part A through at least 40 quarters of Medicare-covered work; those who owe one pay $311 a month in 2026 with 30 to 39 quarters, or $565 a month with fewer than 30, per CMS. The key detail to remember is the due date: Medicare premium bills are due on the 25th of the month.1,2

This is where coverage can eventually be lost. If the bill goes unpaid, Medicare can terminate your coverage, so this is the strongest argument for setting up an automatic method rather than relying on yourself to mail a check four times a year.1

The four ways to pay your Medicare premium 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.1

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.1

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.1

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.1

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.1

What happens if you miss a Medicare premium payment

Missing the 25th does not end your Medicare the same day. Medicare bills you first, and if a Premium Bill goes unpaid it can eventually terminate your coverage, so a missed payment is a problem to fix quickly rather than an instant loss. The safest protection is to never let the clock start: an automatic method like Medicare Easy Pay pays the premium on time every month, so there is no due date to miss.1

If you have already missed a payment, act on the bill rather than waiting. Pay the past-due amount through any of the four methods above, and if you are unsure how much time you have or whether your coverage is at risk, call Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or sign in to your account at Medicare.gov to confirm your balance and your options for staying enrolled. The specific grace period and reinstatement steps depend on your situation, and a Medicare representative can walk you through the exact deadline on your notice.

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.2

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, according to CMS. 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.2

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.1

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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.