Social Security & You
Social Security cares about accuracy and we want you to get the exact benefit amount you deserve. Changes in the law affect how we calculate monthly Medicare Part B (medical insurance) and Medicare prescription drug coverage premiums.
Medicare Part B provides coverage for physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and other items. Most beneficiaries will pay a standard premium for Part B coverage. Some beneficiaries may also pay a late enrollment surcharge. A small number of beneficiaries with higher incomes will pay a higher Part B premium based on their income.
Medicare prescription drug coverage helps pay for prescription drugs. Plan costs vary depending on the plan, and on whether you get Extra Help with your portion of the Medicare prescription drug costs. A small number of beneficiaries with higher incomes will pay a higher prescription drug premium based on their income.
If you’re a Medicare beneficiary who must pay more for your Medicare Part B or Medicare prescription drug coverage premium because of your income, and you disagree with the decision, you may request an appeal. The fastest and easiest way to file an appeal is by visiting socialsecurity.gov/disability/appeal.
You can also read more at socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10125.pdf.
If your income has gone down due to certain specific circumstances, or if you filed an amended tax return, you can ask for a new decision without having to file an appeal. See our fact sheet, Medicare Premiums: Rules for Higher-Income Beneficiaries (SSA Publication No. 05-10536) at socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10536.pdf. You don’t have to file an appeal to get a new decision.
Brandon P. Smith is the author of Northeast Ohio Boomer & Beyond’s Social Security & You blog. He is a Social Security public affairs specialist with the Social Security Administration, based in Cleveland. A Cleveland native, he joined the SSA in 2003. In 2007, Brandon became the Public Affairs Specialist in the metro Cleveland area. He is the primary contact for media relations, outreach, and presentations for the agency in Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, and Geauga counties. In addition to other communications awards, Brandon received a Deputy Commissioner Citation from Social Security’s Office of Communication in 2015 for his outstanding public affairs support of the agency’s national communication initiatives.
