Our Q1Medicare review of the 2024 Medicare Advantage plan landscape data released in late-September by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) shows that there is a 6% increase in the number of Medicare Advantage plans that rebate or "give back" a portion of your Medicare Part B premium.

As in past years, about 91% of 2024 Medicare Advantage plans will include prescription drug coverage (MAPDs) – and 39% of these 2024 MAPDs will have a $0 premium and $0 initial drug deductible (down slightly from 40% of MAPDs in 2023) – and, in 2024 slightly fewer $0/$0 MAPDs will also return or "Give Back" all or a portion of your Medicare Part B premium. 

Important: Not all Part B Giveback Medicare Advantage plans have a $0 premium and/or $0 deductible.
In 2024, although there is a slight decrease in $0/$0 Giveback plans, there is a 20% increase in Giveback plans with a premium and/or a Rx-deductible and a 7% increase in Medicare health-only (MA) Giveback plans.

Question:  How can a Medicare plan give back a portion or all of a Medicare Part B premium?

The federal government compensates Medicare Advantage plans for implementing a plan member's Medicare Part A and Part B coverage.  And, because of lower-than-expected Medicare plan expenses (the plan members do not use as much coverage as expected), some Medicare plans can reduce the plan's premium (sometimes to $0 per month) – and, again, based on healthy plan members, some $0 premium Medicare Advantage plans are able to rebate or give back all or a portion of the member's Medicare Part B premium (returned with the monthly Social Security check) – up to $164.90 in 2024 and $170.10 in 2023.  Sometimes these Medicare Advantage plans are called "Giveback", "Give Back", "Dividend", or "Rebate" plans.

Question:  So, with a Part B Giveback plan, we may pay no monthly premium for our Medicare plan coverage and get money refunded back for our Part B premium?

Yes.  One requirement for joining a Medicare Advantage plan is that you must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.  Most people receive Medicare Part A coverage without paying a premium based on past employment.  However, these same people pay a monthly Medicare Part B premium for their Medicare "out-patient" care.  With a $0/$0 Part B Giveback MAPD plan – you receive a portion of your Part B premium returned to you – while your monthly Medicare Advantage plan premium is $0, and you will have a $0 prescription drug deductible – meaning you will not pay a premium and actually have money returned at the end of the month. 

Question:  So is a $0 Premium / $0 Deductible MAPD with a Part B premium Giveback the most economical Medicare Advantage plan option?

Not necessarily. .Finding a $0 premium Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 prescription drug deductible that includes a generous drug list (formulary), cost-sharing, supplemental benefits, healthcare network, and an acceptable maximum out-of-pocket spending limit (MOOP) is certainly hard to ignore when contemplating Medicare Advantage plan options.  However, even better may be finding that, in your county, there are the same type of $0 premium/$0 deductible 2024 MAPD plans that also return a portion of your Medicare Part B premium – or provide a "Giveback", "Dividend", or "Rebate" feature to plan members.

But . . . look beyond the $0 Rx deductible, the $0 premium, and Part B give back.
Yes, Medicare Advantage Part B Giveback plans do provide very economic Medicare coverage for many people, but ... please ensure that your prescription drugs are also economically covered by your chosen MAPD plan and your doctors (healthcare providers) are included in the MAPD network and the Medicare Advantage plan has an acceptable MOOP limit and that you receive the Supplemental Benefits you desire.

2024 Medicare Advantage Part B premium Giveback plans are available to many people – but "Giveback" plans are not available everywhere.

In 2024, over 3,083 counties include at least one Medicare Advantage plan with a Part B premium “Giveback” – and 1,377 counties offer at least one $0/$0 Medicare Advantage (MAPD) plan with a Part B premium “Giveback” – with the amount of the give back ranging from $0.10 up to $164.90 – this amount may increase or decrease based on the 2024 Part B premium announcement.

Please remember, the availability of Medicare Advantage plans (MA or MAPD) with a Part B premium Giveback will depend on where you live (county, ZIP code area, or partial-ZIP) – and, the amount of your Medicare Part B premium that you receive as a "Giveback" will also depend on your Medicare Advantage plan and the area of the country where you are located.

Question:  How can I see if there is Medicare Advantage plan in my area with a Part B premium Giveback?

We include the Part B premium Giveback information in our Medicare Advantage Plan Finder  (as an example, ZIP 32084, MA-Finder.com/32084) – and the quickest way to see all Giveback plans is to use a quick link such as MA-Finder.com/giveback/32084. You can change the ZIP code to your zip to see all plans that offer a Part B premium Giveback.

You will also notice that Q1Medicare has a search “filter” for Medicare Part B Giveback plans found at the top of our Q1Medicare Medicare Advantage Plan Finder (MA-Finder.com).

You can "select" the Giveback filter (check the "Part B Giveback plans") and then also "select" the "Display Medicare Part B Giveback Amount" from the "Additional Info" drop-down box – next, click the green "Click to Find Plans" button, you can then see the "Giveback Amount" in the right column.

As an example, if you had entered ZIP 32084 (MA-Finder.com/giveback/32084) and you “check” the “Part B Giveback plans” box at the top of the page, you will see that fifteen (15) 2024 Medicare Advantage plan offer the Part B rebate in this Florida county – then, when you change the “Additional Info” box to “Display Medicare Part B Giveback Amount”, you will see that the Part B premium rebate in the right-column.

You can change the ZIP code in the link above to see plans in another area (if available).

Below is a graphic showing an older example of search results for both Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage (MAPDs) and Medicare Advantage plans without drug coverage (MAs) in Brevard County, Florida.  The MAPDs shown have a $0 premium and a $0 prescription drug deductible ($0/$0 plans) and Medicare Part B premium Giveback of $60 to $95.  The MAs (no drug coverage) have a $0 premium and a Part B premium Giveback of $75 to $144.


For more information, instructions for using the Giveback filter, and corresponding screen shots, please see our Frequently Asked Question:  “Do any Medicare Advantage plans refund or give back a portion of my Medicare Part B premium?”: Q1FAQ.com/741.

As always, you can also call the Medicare Advantage plan directly for more Giveback information (the telephone number for Member Services is available when you click on the plan's name in our Medicare Advantage Plan Finder).

Need additional help finding a Medicare plan?

If you are unsure about your Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan options, please contact a Medicare representative at 1-800-633-4227 (1-800-Medicare) or call your local SHIP office.