What Is the Medicare Surcharge?

The Medicare surcharge — formally known as the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) — is an additional premium that higher-income Medicare beneficiaries pay on top of the standard Part B and Part D premiums.

In 2024, if you're enrolled in Medicare Part B or D and earning over $103,000 a year individually or $206,000 with your spouse, you'll pay additional surcharges. View the current IRMAA brackets for specific amounts.

Your total Medicare cost includes the standard premium plus any IRMAA surcharge. Understanding how IRMAA is calculated and what income is used helps you project your costs.

Note that the Medicare surcharge (IRMAA) is different from the Additional Medicare Tax (0.9% surtax) that applies to earned income. Both can affect high-income individuals but work differently. Learn about the Additional Medicare Tax for more details.

There are several strategies to minimize IRMAA surcharges:

Learn more about strategies to reduce your MAGI and minimize Medicare surcharges.