Medicare Part D beneficiaries with an income above a certain level (see charts below) have an increase in their monthly Medicare Part D prescription drug plan premiums, based on the implementation of the Medicare Part D Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA).  The Medicare Part D IRMAA began in January 2011.  For the 2015 plan year, the Medicare Part D IRMAA will increase slightly.  (As noted further down the page, the 2015 Medicare Part B IRMAA will remain unchanged from 2014.)

Medicare beneficiaries who have a modified adjusted gross income of more than $85,000 for individuals or $170,000 for married couples filing jointly pay an additional Medicare Part D Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) based on their income.

The IRMAA can change every year and is calculated using the recently released standard base premium.  The 2015 standard base premium is $33.13.


The 2015 Medicare Part D IRMAA amounts are shown in the charts below.


All beneficiaries in the IRMAA paying brackets will see a slight increase in their payments -- namely, a 2% increase.

Please note:

• The additional monthly Part D income-related adjustment amount is not collected by the Medicare Part D plans, but instead paid directly to the Federal government.
• The amount of your IRMAA will be directly deducted from your Social Security, Railroad Retirement Board, or Office of Personnel Management benefits.
• If there are not sufficient funds in your government benefits, then Medicare will bill you directly.
• Medicare Part D beneficiaries affected by the 2015 IRMAA will receive a letter from the Social Security Administration notifying them of their Medicare Part D plan premium increase.

Medicare Part B Income-related Adjustments Amounts (IRMAA)

As with the Medicare Part D program, people with Medicare who report 2014 income above $85,000 a year ($170,000 for people filing jointly) are responsible to cover a larger portion of the cost of their Medicare Part B coverage.

However, the IRMAA Medicare Part B rates have not changed since 2014.

These monthly Medicare Part B premium adjustments range from an additional $42.00 to an additional $230.80 (per month).

Monthly Medicare Part B premiums for Medicare beneficiaries who are married and lived with their spouse at any time during the taxable year, but file separate tax returns, are:


According to CMS, IRMAA affects less than 5% of Medicare beneficiaries or around 2,450,000 people.