If you collect Social Security and are enrolled in Medicare Part B, yes, Medicare is deducted from your Social Security payment automatically, and federal law gives you no option to pay another way while benefits are flowing. The standard Part B premium in 2026 is $202.90 per month, and higher earners pay more. The deduction only stops if you decline or drop Part B coverage, which is legally allowed but carries lasting consequences.
Why the Part B Deduction Is Automatic
Under 42 U.S.C. § 1395s, the Social Security Administration must withhold your Part B premium from your monthly benefit before it reaches your bank account. The statute uses “shall,” so neither you nor SSA has discretion once you’re enrolled in Part B and receiving benefits.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 1395s – Payment of Premiums The rule applies to:
- Social Security retirement benefits, including spousal and survivor payments
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
- Railroad Retirement Board annuities
One narrow situation changes the mechanics but not the outcome: if your monthly benefit is smaller than your premium, SSA withholds the whole benefit and you pay the balance directly.2eCFR. 42 CFR Part 408 – Premiums for Supplementary Medical Insurance
The Only Way to Stop the Deduction
Part B itself is voluntary. No law forces you to carry it, and you can end the deduction by refusing enrollment or by disenrolling later using Form CMS-1763, filed with your local Social Security office.3Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Request for Termination of Coverage (Form CMS-1763)
Dropping Part B is rarely a good idea unless you have comparable coverage through an employer or a spouse’s employer plan. Three consequences follow:
- A late enrollment penalty of 10% added to your premium for every full 12-month period you were eligible but not enrolled. A five-year gap adds 50%, and the surcharge lasts as long as you have Medicare.4CMS. Original Medicare (Part A and B) Eligibility and Enrollment
- Limited re-enrollment windows. Without a special enrollment period (such as losing employer coverage), you can only re-enroll during the January through March general enrollment period, with coverage starting the following month.3Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Request for Termination of Coverage (Form CMS-1763)
- A coverage gap between disenrollment and any future re-enrollment, during which you pay the full cost of doctor visits and outpatient care yourself.
Medicare Premiums That Are Not Automatically Deducted
The mandatory-deduction rule only reaches Part B. Other pieces of Medicare are handled differently:
- Part A. Most people pay nothing for Part A because they or a spouse paid Medicare taxes for at least ten years. If you don’t qualify for premium-free Part A, the 2026 premium is either $311 or $565 per month depending on your work history. Part A premiums can be withheld from Social Security but are billed separately if you aren’t yet collecting.5Social Security Administration. Medicare6Medicare. What Does Medicare Cost?
- Part D prescription drug coverage. You may choose to have your Part D premium withheld from Social Security, but this is voluntary; you can pay the plan directly instead.7Medicare. How Much Does Medicare Drug Coverage Cost?
- Part C (Medicare Advantage). Any premium goes to the private plan, not to Medicare. You still owe your Part B premium on top of it.6Medicare. What Does Medicare Cost?
- If you have Medicare but haven’t started collecting Social Security, nothing is withheld. You pay directly.8Medicare. How to Pay Part A and Part B Premiums
How Much Comes Out in 2026
The standard 2026 Part B premium is $202.90 per month.9CMS. 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles Higher earners pay an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) on top, calculated from the modified adjusted gross income on the tax return you filed two years earlier. For 2026 premiums, SSA looks at your 2024 income. MAGI is adjusted gross income plus tax-exempt interest.
The 2026 brackets for individual filers and joint filers:9CMS. 2026 Medicare Parts A and B Premiums and Deductibles
- $109,000 or less individual / $218,000 or less joint: $202.90
- $109,001–$137,000 / $218,001–$274,000: $284.10
- $137,001–$171,000 / $274,001–$342,000: $405.80
- $171,001–$205,000 / $342,001–$410,000: $527.50
- $205,001–$499,999 / $410,001–$749,999: $649.20
- $500,000 or more / $750,000 or more: $689.90
Married people who filed separately and lived with their spouse face a compressed schedule that reaches $649.20 above $109,000 and $689.90 at $391,000.10Medicare.gov. 2026 Medicare Costs SSA mails you a notice each fall explaining your premium and any surcharge before the deductions begin.
If Your Income Has Dropped Since Then
Because IRMAA rides on a two-year-old tax return, it can charge you based on money you no longer earn. You can ask SSA to use a more recent year by filing Form SSA-44 after a qualifying life-changing event.11Social Security Administration. Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount – Life-Changing Event (Form SSA-44) The list is closed:12Social Security Administration. Life Changing Events
- Death of a spouse
- Marriage
- Divorce or annulment
- Work reduction or work stoppage, including retirement
- Loss of income-producing property due to a disaster or event beyond your control
- Loss of an employer pension
- Receipt of a settlement from a current or former employer
Voluntarily selling property, losing dividend income, higher medical bills, and losing child support don’t qualify. If SSA denies your request, you have 60 days from the denial notice to appeal.
Hold Harmless: Your Check Won’t Shrink
A federal rule known as “hold harmless” keeps a Part B premium hike from cutting your net Social Security payment below the previous year’s amount. If the January premium increase would drop your after-deduction benefit below what you received the prior November, your premium is capped so your take-home stays level.13Social Security Administration. Social Security Act Section 1839
To qualify, your Part B premium must have been deducted from Social Security or a Railroad Retirement Board annuity in both November and December of the prior year. Two situations fall outside the protection:
- IRMAA surcharges. Hold harmless only caps the base premium, not the income-based surcharge.
- New enrollees and people who pay Medicare directly. If premiums weren’t being withheld during the qualifying months, you’ll pay the full new premium.
The rule matters most in years when the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is small, because it prevents a premium increase from swallowing the entire raise.
If You’re Not Yet Collecting Social Security
With no benefit to deduct from, Medicare bills you directly. You have several options:
- Medicare Easy Pay, a free service that pulls the premium from a checking or savings account on the 20th of each month, or the next business day. You enroll through your online Medicare account.14Medicare. Medicare Easy Pay
- A one-time online payment through your secure Medicare account by credit card, debit card, or bank account, processed through Pay.gov.8Medicare. How to Pay Part A and Part B Premiums
- The mailed Medicare Premium Bill (CMS-500), payable by check, money order, credit card, or debit card. Payment must reach Medicare by the 25th of the month to count as on time.15Medicare. Medicare Premium Bill (CMS-500)
Help If You Can’t Afford the Premium
If your income is low enough, your state may pay some or all of your Medicare costs through a Medicare Savings Program. The most comprehensive, the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program, covers Part A and Part B premiums plus deductibles and copayments.16CMS. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program Group Income and asset limits vary by state; contact your state Medicaid office or call 1-800-MEDICARE to check. If you qualify, the Part B premium is still deducted from your Social Security, but the state reimburses the amount so your net benefit is unaffected.