Income-Related Premiums in Medicare: Who Pays, and How Much Do They Pay?

Since 2007, seniors with incomes greater than $85,000 have had to pay higher premiums for Medicare than their counterparts with lower incomes.  Six percent of Medicare Part B enrollees are expected to pay higher monthly premiums in 2015, ranging from $147 to $336, depending on their income.  Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are considering whether to increase these income-related premiums to help offset the federal cost of repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) payment formula, a move that would prevent scheduled cuts in Medicare payments to physicians from taking effect on April 1.  A new data note from the Kaiser Family Foundation explains how Medicare premium levels are tied to beneficiaries’ income under current law [see chart], and presents new data on the roughly 3 million people who pay these higher premiums for Part B, as well as trends over time.

For the full data note, as well as more information and analysis about Medicare, visit kff.org.