📋 7 Ways You Can Avoid Paying Higher Medicare Premiums (AARP Article/updated)

[Winter2025VA]

FROM THE ARTICLE.

7 Factors That Could Reduce Your Medicare Premiums.

Changes in income, marital status, work hours and other life events can exempt enrollees from surcharges.

By Jacqueline Salmon, AARP. Reviewed by Cristina Boccuti, M.A., MPP. Published November 15, 2022.

➡️[*** Updated November 18, 2025.

Key takeaways!

(1) Have a high income? You’ll pay more for Part B and Part D.

(2) Surcharges change annually and include Medicare Advantage.

(3) If spouse died, you married or divorced, ask to be exempt.

(4) Less work, no work, loss of property or pension are grounds.

(5) You can appeal, and your eligibility changes each year.

Most people who enroll in Medicare Part B, which covers doctor visits, diagnostic tests and other outpatient services, pay a standard monthly premium, $202.90 in 2026.

But if your household income is above a certain amount, like around 8 percent of people with Part B, you’ll have to pay more than the basic monthly fee. If the government says your monthly tab is going to be higher, you have ways to appeal that decision.

➡️[*** Article 2 out of 11 in Balancing Costs.

USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE.

https://www.aarp.org/medicare/how-to-lower-medicare-premiums/