Uninsured Seniors Face $565 Medicare Part A Premium Hike
Published Date: 11/19/2025
Notice
Summary
Starting January 1, 2026, some older adults and certain disabled folks who don’t qualify for free Medicare Part A will pay new monthly premiums. If you’re 65 or older and uninsured, your premium will be $565, while some disabled individuals will pay $311. This update helps keep Medicare Part A available for those who’ve exhausted other benefits but still want coverage.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
New $565 Part A Monthly Premium
If you are age 65 or older (born in 1961 or earlier) or otherwise fall into the groups described, the monthly Medicare Part A premium for uninsured enrollees and certain disabled individuals will be $565 beginning January 1, 2026. This $565 monthly amount is about 9.1 percent higher than the CY 2025 premium of $518.
45% Reduced Premium: $311 Monthly
If you qualify under section 1818(d)(4)(B) (the statutory 45 percent reduction rules), your monthly Medicare Part A premium for the 12 months beginning January 1, 2026 will be $311. That $311 amount equals a 45 percent reduction from the full $565 premium but is about 9.1 percent higher than the CY 2025 reduced premium of $285.
Most Enrollees’ Premiums Likely Paid by States (QMB)
CMS estimates that over 90 percent of the approximately 772,000 voluntary full‑premium enrollees will have their Medicare Part A premium paid by States through the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program. If you are a QMB/Medicaid enrollee, your State Medicaid agency would pay the Part A premium and you would avoid the out‑of‑pocket monthly charge.
Estimated Enrollment and $467M Aggregate Cost
CMS estimates about 772,000 enrollees will voluntarily pay the full $565 premium and about 103,000 additional enrollees will pay the reduced $311 premium in CY 2026. The total aggregate additional cost to enrollees in 2026 compared to 2025 is estimated to be about $467 million.
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