Which statement about the Medicare Part B monthly premium is correct?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
The standard Medicare Part B monthly premium applies to most beneficiaries, but higher-income beneficiaries pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) on top of the standard premium. The additional amount is based on modified adjusted gross income from two years earlier and increases with income tiers. This income-based surcharge was added to the Medicare law to ask higher-income beneficiaries to pay a greater share of Part B costs. Beneficiaries with limited incomes may qualify for state programs that help pay the premium, but the general rule is that the premium rises with income.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) The premium is not uniform; the IRMAA surcharge makes the premium higher for beneficiaries in upper income brackets.
- C) Beneficiaries pay the Part B premium themselves, typically withheld from Social Security benefits; employers do not pay it.
- D) Part B is voluntary and always requires a premium; premium-free status applies to Part A, not Part B.
Memory hook
Part B's price tag goes up the income ladder: more earnings, more premium.