Yes - but only some plans in certain areas.  Medicare Advantage plans change plan coverage each year, and depending on the estimated cost for each Medicare Advantage plan member, some $0 premium Medicare Advantage plans are able to rebate all or a portion of your Medicare Part B premium ($148.50 in 2021) back to you as part of your monthly Social Security check.

Our Medicare Advantage Plan Finder (https://MA-Finder.com/33066) shows all Medicare Advantage plans across the country and if you click on the plan name, you can see in the Medicare plan coverage details text such as "Part B premium reduction: $25" (in past years, we noted only "Yes" and not a dollar rebate amount)  - this means that the Medicare Advantage plan rebates a portion of the Medicare Part B premium back to the plan Member.

So for instance, if you live in Brevard County, Florida and enroll in the 2021 WellCare Dividend Prime (HMO) (H1032-193-0), you would receive a $95 Part B "giveback" or "Buy-Down".

Question:  Where can I see exactly how much of my Part B premium is rebated by my Medicare Advantage plan?

Your plan's documentation.  You can call the Medicare Advantage plan's Member Services department to have a printed copy of the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) or Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage (EOC) document mailed to you or you can download an electronic copy (PDF) of the documents from the plan's website.

For example, in the "WellCare Dividend (HMO) Annual Notice of Changes [ANOC] for 2020", you can find a chart stating, "Monthly premium (You must also continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium.)" with "$0.00 and WellCare will reduce your Medicare Part B premium by $40.00 each month".

Also in the 2020 WellCare Dividend (HMO) Summary of Benefits document you can find "Part B Premium Buy-Down" - "$40.00".  Please note that this example is for the Part B rebate specifically for the WellCare Dividend (HMO) H1032 223003 FL (H1032, Plan 223) - if you have the same WellCare Dividend plan in a different county, you may have a different Part B rebate or giveback depending on your plan or where you live.

(As reference, see: https://wellcare.com/en/florida/members/medicare-plans-2020/wellcare-dividend-hmo-223-003 and for 2021, please see: https://wellcare.com/en/florida/members/medicare-plans-2021/wellcare-dividend-prime-hmo-193)

Our Medicare Advantage Plan Finder.  We also have added the Medicare Part B premium rebate information to our Medicare Advantage Plan Finder (https://MA-Finder.com) for all participating Medicare Advantage plans.

To help you review any Medicare plans in your area with a "Part B Giveback", we have added a "filter" to our Medicare Advantage plan search criteria so that you can select "Part B Giveback plans" - and also you can select to "Display Medicare Part B Giveback Amount" in the right column of the results chart.

Once you have chosen the Give Back filter and selected the "Display Medicare Part B Giveback Amount" from the Additional Info box, you can see the "Giveback Amount" in the right column.

Then once you choose a Medicare Advantage plan, you can click on the plan name to review the plan details and see more information on plan coverage, including the Medicare Part B Giveback amount.


(You can click here to see a Brevard County, Florida example of the WellCare Dividend Prime (HMO) plan that has a $0 premium, $0 drug deductible, $0 co-pay for Tier 1 generics – and “gives back” $95 of your Medicare Part B premium each month.

Question:  Are Medicare Advantage plans that rebate Part B premiums widely available?

They are becoming more popular.  Initially, Medicare Advantage plans offering to return all or a portion of your Medicare Part B premium were found in only somewhat isolated areas of the country and not available in every state across the country.  However, we have seen an upward trend in the Part B "give back" plans over the past years.

Example of annual changes in "Giveback" plans - In 2021, there are 49 states (including Puerto Rico) that offer a Medicare Advantage plan with a Part B premium give backs.  Across the country that amounts to about 9,475 separate counties that include a give back plan.  The Part B "givebacks" are offered by 160 unique Medicare Advantage plans  - and range from give back of only $0.10 up to $144.60.  As a comparison, in 2020, 44 states had such "give back" Medicare Advantage plans (adding up to 6,448 separate counties across the country).  The total number of unique 2020 Medicare Advantage plans offering the Part B give back was 128 with the Part B give backs ranging from $10 to $135.50.

Even with the same-named plan, your Part B give back will depend on where you live.  If you do not live in or near a county that has Medicare Advantage plans with Part B premium rebates, you may find that the same named Medicare Advantage plan in another county will rebate a higher Medicare Part B premium amount or offer a lower Part B premium rebate.

For example, if you enroll in the 2021 WellCare Dividend Prime (HMO) as a residents of Brevard County, Florida, you will receive a $95 rebate toward your 2021 Medicare Part B premium (or a Part B premium reduction of $95).  However, if you live further north in St. Johns County, Florida, you will find the same named 2021 WellCare Dividend Prime (HMO), but the Part B "give back" or premium reduction is $90 instead of the $95 as found in Brevard County.


Question:  How long will Social Security need to adjust my Medicare Part B premium with the "give back"?

1-3 months.  It may take your Medicare Advantage plan (and Social Security Administration) a few months to begin the Part B premium rebate.  But after the first Medicare Part B premium rebate payment, then your monthly Social Security checks should then show a regular increase reflecting the monthly Medicare Part B premium ($144.60 in 2020 or whatever premium or portion of premium you paid in that year).

Question:  How will I get my Part B rebate or "give back" if I do not collect Social Security benefits?

Your Medicare Part B refund, give-back, or "Dividend" repayment depends on how your Medicare Part B premium is paid: whether premiums are withheld from your Social Security check or whether you pay Part B premiums directly.  As you may find something noted in your Medicare Advantage plan literature such as:

"For 202[x], [Your Medicare plan] will reduce your monthly Medicare Part B Premium by [$xx.00]. The reduction is set up by Medicare and administered through the Social Security Administration (SSA). Depending on how you pay your Medicare Part B premium, your reduction may be credited to your Social Security check or credited on your Medicare Part B premium statement. Reductions may take several months to be issued; however, you will receive a full credit."

So, if you pay your Part B premium directly (not by automatic Social Security check deduction),  you will see that your Part B premium statement has been updated with the rebate or "give back" amount credited to what you owe.