Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 3/5
Medicare Part B monthly premiums are higher for beneficiaries who:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why C is correct
All beneficiaries pay a monthly Part B premium, but high-income beneficiaries pay more through the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). The IRMAA is based on the beneficiary's modified adjusted gross income from two years earlier and adds a surcharge on top of the standard Part B premium. The surcharge applies at defined income thresholds. It does not apply based on age, residence, or whether retirement benefits have been claimed.
Why the other options are wrong
- A) Being under age 65 does not raise the Part B premium; income, not age, drives the IRMAA surcharge.
- B) Living outside the United States does not increase the Part B premium.
- D) Not claiming Social Security retirement benefits does not trigger a higher Part B premium; the income-related adjustment is based on income, not benefit claim status.
Memory hook
IRMAA rhymes with karma: high earners two years ago pay more for Part B today. Income, not age, sets the surcharge.