Topics
Costs & Savings
Premiums, deductibles, IRMAA surcharges and the programs that reduce them — what Medicare actually costs and where the savings are.
Medicare is not free. Part B has a monthly premium that rises with income, Part D plans charge their own, and each part has deductibles and cost-sharing. On the other side are programs — Extra Help, Medicare Savings Programs, Medigap — that shift or cap what you pay.
The figures change every year and most of them are set by rules you can plan around. The guides below explain each cost with its year attached, and the estimator turns them into a number for your situation.
Guides
All articles
Why Did My Medigap Premium Increase? Understanding Rating Methods
Understand why your Medigap premium went up. Learn about attained-age, issue-age, and community rating methods, and other factors affecting your Medigap costs.
Extra Help (LIS): Do You Qualify, and Its Value
Learn about Medicare's Extra Help (LIS) program, who qualifies, and how it can significantly reduce your prescription drug costs for Part D.
Medicare Savings Programs: Help with Costs You Might Be Missing
Learn about Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) and how these state programs can help pay for Medicare premiums, deductibles, and co-payments, potentially saving you thousands.
Navigating IRMAA: Why Some Pay More for Medicare Part B and Part D
Learn about IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) for Medicare Part B and Part D, why higher earners pay more, and how to appeal with Form SSA-44.
Understanding Your 2026 Medicare Costs: Premiums, Deductibles, and More
Understand your 2026 Medicare costs, including Part A, Part B, and Part D premiums, deductibles, and the impact of income on your healthcare expenses.
5 Expensive Medicare Mistakes People Make (And How to Avoid Them)
Learn the 5 most common and costly Medicare mistakes — missing enrollment deadlines, ignoring plan reviews, and more — and what to do instead.
Decisions in this topic
- Medigap Plan F vs Plan GThe two letters differ by exactly one benefit — and whether you can even buy Plan F depends on when you became eligible for Medicare.
- Medigap Plan G vs Plan NBoth letters are federally standardized, so the benefits are identical no matter who sells them. The real difference is where the cost sharing sits.
Watch
1:21Medigap Premiums Explained: Attained-Age, Issue-Age, & Community-Rated Pricing
1:08Unlock Medicare Savings Programs: State Benefits for Lower Healthcare Costs
1:30Medicare Extra Help (LIS) Explained: Eligibility & Value for Prescription Costs
1:28IRMAA: Why Some Pay More for Medicare Part B and D Premiums
2:18Medicare Costs 2026: Premiums, Deductibles, Surcharges Explained
2:17Medicare Costs 2026: Premiums, Deductibles, and Coinsurance Explained
1:35Reduce Medicare Expenses: Strategies to Lower Your Costs While Maintaining Coverage
0:53Medicare Savings Programs Explained: Reduce Healthcare Costs for Low-Income Beneficiaries
0:52Medicare Out-of-Pocket Max Explained: What It Covers & What It Doesn't Include