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Slightly higher Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts (IRMAA) in 2015 for Medicare beneficiaries with higher annual incomes.

IRMAA - for higher incomes · published Jul 31, 2014

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.

Medicare Part D Base Premium
 2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

 $33.13 $32.42 $31.17 $31.08 $32.34

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

Beneficiaries who file individual tax returns with income that is:

Beneficiaries who file joint tax returns with income that is:

Medicare Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

Less than or equal to $85,000 Less than or equal to $170,000 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Greater than $85,000 and less than or equal to $107,000 Greater than $170,000 and less than or equal to $214,000 $12.30 $12.10 $11.60 $11.60 $12.00
Greater than $107,000 and less than or equal to $160,000 Greater than $214,000 and less than or equal to $320,000 $31.80 $31.10 $29.90 $29.90 $31.10
Greater than $160,000 and less than or equal to $214,000 Greater than $320,000 and less than or equal to $428,000 $51.30 $50.20 $48.30 $48.10 $50.10
Greater than $214,000 Greater than $428,000 $70.80 $69.30 $66.60 $66.40 $69.10

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

Beneficiaries who file individual tax returns with income that is:

Beneficiaries who file joint tax returns with income that is:

Medicare Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount

2015

2014

$
Increase

%
Increase

Less than or equal to $85,000 Less than or equal to $170,000 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Greater than $85,000 and less than or equal to $107,000 Greater than $170,000 and less than or equal to $214,000 $12.30 $12.10 $0.20 1.65%
Greater than $107,000 and less than or equal to $160,000 Greater than $214,000 and less than or equal to $320,000 $31.80 $31.10 $0.70 2.25%
Greater than $160,000 and less than or equal to $214,000 Greater than $320,000 and less than or equal to $428,000 $51.30 $50.20 $1.10 2.19%
Greater than $214,000 Greater than $428,000 $70.80 $69.30 $1.50 2.16%


Beneficiaries who are married but file separate tax returns with income that is:

Medicare Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

Less than or equal to $85,000 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Greater than $85,000 and less than or equal to $129,000 $51.30 $50.20 $48.30 $48.10 $50.00
Greater than $129,000 $70.80 $69.30 $66.60 $66.40 $69.10


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).

If Your Yearly Income Is Your Monthly
Medicare Part B
Premium
Medicare
Part B
IRMAA
File Individual Tax Return File Joint Tax Return
$85,000 or below $170,000 or below $104.90* $0.00 
$85,001 - $107,000 $170,000 - $214,000 $146.90* $42.00 
$107,001 - $160,000 $214,000 - $320,000 $209.80* $104.90 
$160,001 - $214,000 $320,000 - $428,000 $272.70*  $167.80
above $214,000 above $428,000 $335.70* $230.80 


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:

Beneficiaries who are married and lived with their spouse at any time during the year, but file a separate tax return from their spouse: Medicare Part B IRMAA Medicare Part B premium amount
Less than or equal to $85,000 $0.00 $104.90
Greater than $85,000 and less than or equal to $129,000 $167.80 $272.70
Greater than $129,000 $230.80 $335.70

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