Medicare Part B
What is Part B?
Medicare Part B is the second part that makes up Original Medicare.
Part B is your medical insurance and covers a broad range of medical services.
Part B helps cover the cost of:
- doctor services
- diagnostic tests
- durable medical equipment and supplies
- some home health care services
- preventive services to help keep you healthy, such as screenings and vaccinations
A Closer Look at Part B
You are eligible for Part B when turning 65 if you are:
✓ turning 65
✓ a legal resident
✓ the spouse of a person that meets these guidelines
What does Part B cover?
✓ Doctor services
✓ Diagnostic tests
✓ Durable medical equipment and supplies
✓ Some home healthcare services
✓ Home health care
✓ Preventive services to help keep you healthy, such as screenings and vaccinations
What Does Part B Not Cover?
Part B coverage will cover a large amount of your health services, but not all of them. The following will be out-of-pocket costs that you are responsible for, unless you purchase a Medigap policy to offset these expenses:
X Physical exams other than your annual wellness visit
X Routine services for vision, hearing and dental care
X Routine foot care
X Acupuncture, naturopathy
X Cosmetic surgery
X Hearing aids
X Dentures and denture care
X Medical care outside of the United States
The 2026 Part B base premium is $202.90 per month.
However, if your income is above $109,000 individually or above $218,000 jointly, you will pay an income adjustment that will increase your monthly premium.
Read more about the other costs associated with Part B and IRMAA here.
More About Part B
Turning 65
You can sign up for Medicare Part B when you become eligible, which is the age of 65. Read more about your 7-month Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) here.
Working Past 65
Learn more about if, when and how you can delay your Part B enrollment and avoid late enrollment penalties and coverage gaps here.
How To Enroll
There are four ways you can enroll in Part B when turning 65. Learn more about this and the exact steps on how to enroll here.
Make Sure You Enroll On Time!
If you don’t sign up for Part B when first eligible, and don’t qualify for a SEP, you may have a delay in getting Medicare coverage in the future and you also may have to pay a late enrollment penalty.
- You’ll pay an extra 10% for every 12-month period you could have signed up for Part B, but didn’t enroll.
The amount of penalty incurred would be in addition to your Part B premiums, and will last for as long as you have Part B coverage.
How to Confirm Provider Participation in Medicare
If you will be enrolling in Original Medicare for your Medicare benefits, click below to see if your providers participate in the Medicare program. www.medicare.gov/physiciancompare.
Learn More About Medicare Part B
Are you unsure if you need to enroll in Part B or not? Call us today to determine your enrollment responsibilities.
