Your monthly Medicare Part D IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) charges will be deducted automatically from your Social Security check, or . . .

. . . If the amount of your Social Security check is not large enough to cover your IRMAA (or you have opted to defer your Social Security benefits and do not receive a SS check), then you will receive a bill for the unpaid IRMAA balance from the government, such as Medicare or the Railroad Retirement Board.

Remember that IRMAA is paid in addition to your monthly Medicare Part D and Medicare Part B premiums.  And you must still pay your IRMAA even if your employer, union, or other party is paying your Medicare Part D and Medicare Part B premiums.


The Social Security Administration makes the following note about paying your IRMAA:

"If you're a higher-income beneficiary with Medicare prescription drug coverage, you'll pay monthly premiums plus an additional amount, which is based on what you report to the IRS.  Because individual [Medicare Part D] plan premiums vary, the law specifies that the amount is determined using a base premium. We tie the additional amount you pay to the base beneficiary premium, not your own premium amount.

If you’re a higher-income beneficiary, we deduct this amount from your monthly Social Security payments regardless of how you usually pay your monthly prescription plan [PDP or MAPD] premiums. If the amount is greater than your monthly payment from Social Security, or you don’t get monthly payments, you’ll get a separate bill from another federal agency, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS] or the Railroad Retirement Board." [emphasis and formatting added]

Medicare also adds provides information about paying your IRMAA:

"By law, income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) for prescription drug coverage must be withheld from Social Security [SSA], Railroad Retirement Board [RRB], or Office of Personnel Management [OPM] benefit checks unless the monthly payment isn't enough to cover the entire amount owed. If your check isn't enough to cover the entire amount, you will get a bill from Medicare."

(Sources include: Social Security Administration “Medicare Premiums: Rules For Higher-Income Beneficiaries”, (2016 edition), (www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10536.pdf), Part D-Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount—Frequently Asked Questions & Answers, from Anthony Culotta, Director Medicare Enrollment & Appeals Group, December 10, 2010)


You pay your Part D IRMAA directly to Medicare, not to your plan or employer.

You're required to pay the Part D IRMAA, even if your employer or a third party (like a teacher's union or a retirement system) pays for your Part D plan premiums. If you don't pay the Part D IRMAA and get disenrolled, you may also lose your retirement coverage and you may not be able to get it back.


Need additional assistance with your IRMAA?

You can learn more about your Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D IRMAA by visiting a local Social Security Administration office or by calling the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Friday ET.

Sources include:
Social Security Document: EN-05-10536.pdf
Social Security Document: EN-05-10125.pdf