What is it?
Medicare Part B is the medical insurance portion of Medicare, which covers physician services, outpatient hospital care, and many other services typically covered under health insurance plans. Part B is financed through monthly premiums paid by enrollees and by contributions from the federal government.
You can get Medicare Part B coverage by enrolling in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) or through a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan offered by a private company approved by Medicare. The following costs and coverages apply to Original Medicare. All Medicare Advantage plans must cover all the benefits and services provided under Original Medicare but may also provide additional benefits. With a Medicare Advantage plan, you may pay a monthly premium in addition to your monthly Part B premium. Costs will vary by plan and may be either higher or lower than those in Original Medicare.
What is the cost to enrollees?
Premiums
Most people will pay the standard Part B premium amount of $174.70 in 2024. But if your modified adjusted gross income as reported on your federal income tax return from two years ago is above a certain amount, you’ll pay the standard premium plus an extra charge called the Income Related Monthly Adjusted Amount (IRMAA).
To determine if you’re subject to income-related premiums, the SSA uses the most recent federal tax return provided by the IRS. Generally, the tax return you filed in 2023 (based on 2022 income) will be used to determine if you will pay an income-related premium in 2024. You can contact the SSA at (800) 772-1213 if you have new information to report that might change the determination and lower your premium.
The table below shows what you’ll pay if you’re in this group.
| You filed an individual income tax return with MAGI that was: | You filed a joint income tax return with MAGI that was: | You filed an income tax return as married filing separately with MAGI that was: | Total monthly premium in 2024 is: | *Total monthly premium in 2024 immunosuppressive drug coverage only is: |
| $103,000 or less | $206,000 or less | $103,000 or less | $174.70 | $103.00 |
| Above $103,000 up to $129,000 | Above $206,000 up to $258,000 | N/A | $244.60 | $171.70 |
| Above $129,000 up to $161,000 | Above $258,000 up to $322,000 | N/A | $349.40 | $274.70 |
| Above $161,000 up to $193,000 | Above $322,000 up to $386,000 | N/A | $454.20 | $377.70 |
| Above $193,000 and less than $500,000 | Above $386,000 and less than $750,000 | Above $103,000 and less than $397,000 | $559.00 | $480.70 |
| $500,000 and above | $750,000 and above | $397,000 and above | $594.00 | $515.10 |
*This premium applies to a benefit that extends coverage for immunosuppressive drugs for people who qualify for Medicare coverage due to end-stage renal disease. Although this coverage ends 36 months after a successful kidney transplant, Medicare may help you pay for immunosuppressive drugs beyond 36 months if you don’t have certain types of other health coverage (such as a group health plan, TRICARE or Medicaid) that covers immunosuppressive drugs. It does not cover other items or services. Rates shown apply to people who file individual or joint tax returns. Premiums for beneficiaries filing as married filing separately are different.
Deductibles
If you have Original Medicare, the Medicare Part B deductible is $240 in 2024.
What does Medicare Part B cover?
Medical care that is not inpatient is usually covered under Medicare Part B. Medicare Part B covers 80% of medically necessary physician or outpatient charges, including charges from a physician for care received in a hospital. The Part B deductible generally applies.
Services covered under Medicare Part B
Currently, services covered under Medicare Part B (the 20% coinsurance charge and deductible generally apply) include:
- Physician and surgeon fees
- Outpatient services
- Immunosuppressive drugs
- Blood service, after you pay for the first three pints of blood in any calendar year
- Clinical laboratory services
- Outpatient mental health visits
- Certain medically necessary home health services
- Physical, and occupational therapy, and speech language pathology services (therapy cap limits may apply)
- Ambulance service
- Opioid use treatment services
Medicare also fully covers the cost of most preventive services (beneficiaries will pay nothing out-of-pocket) if a healthcare provider accepts Medicare assignments. Some services are limited to one per year. The preventive services Medicare fully covers include:
- An annual wellness exam to develop or update a personalized prevention plan
- Annual mammograms for individuals age 40 or older, and a baseline mammogram for individuals between ages 35 and 39
- Pap test and pelvic exams
- Pneumococcal and flu vaccines
- Hepatitis B vaccines for high-risk individuals
- HIV screening test
- Colorectal cancer screening test
- Diabetes screening test
- Cardiovascular screening test
- Bone density measurements for women at risk for osteoporosis
- Self-management training for individuals with diabetes
- Medical nutrition therapy for individuals with diabetes or kidney disease
- Smoking cessation counseling if you haven’t yet been diagnosed with a tobacco-related illness
- Depression screening (test is fully covered; you generally have to pay 20% for doctor’s visit)
- Alcohol misuse screening and counseling
- Obesity screening and counseling
- Chronic pain management
Services excluded from Medicare Part B coverage
In general, Medicare pays only for services it considers reasonable or medically necessary. Specific exclusions include:
- Cosmetic surgery, unless particular medical conditions render it necessary
- Procedures considered experimental
- Hearing aids and fittings
- Chiropractic services, except for treatment of subluxation (partial dislocation) of the spine
- Most eyeglasses and eye exams
- Most dentures and dental care
- Prescription drugs you administer yourself, such as those you buy at a drug store and take at home (exceptions are immunosuppressive drugs and antirejection drugs for kidney transplant patients)
- Over-the-counter drugs
- Care outside of the United States (except when a Mexican or Canadian hospital is closer, such as in an emergency, even though you reside in the United States, or if you require care while traveling through Canada en route to Alaska)
Tip: Prescription drug coverage is available through a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan or through a Medicare Advantage plan.
Tip: Original Medicare doesn’t cover every type of medical care, and you’ll have to pay deductibles and coinsurance. If you have Original Medicare, you may want to buy a Medicare supplemental insurance (Medigap) policy from a private company to fill some coverage gaps.
You can get further information about coverage under Medicare Part B by calling the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 or by visiting ssa.gov (the Social Security Administration website) or medicare.gov. The Medicare website contains a comprehensive list of covered services, including a preventive care checklist that you can take to your healthcare provider to find out which services are right for you.