2026 CMS data · updated annually
IRMAA + Part B Reduction Calculator
Estimate your Medicare Part B premium and IRMAA surcharge, then compare Original Medicare + TFL against a Medicare Advantage plan with a Part B giveback. Built for retired military and TRICARE For Life beneficiaries.
Your inputs
MAGI = AGI + tax-exempt interest. SSA uses your IRS return from 2024 to set 2026 IRMAA. Use the +/− buttons, ↑/↓ keys, or mouse wheel (when focused) to adjust by $10,000.
John lives in Orlando, Florida. One Medicare Advantage PPO available in his area offers a Part B reduction of up to $185 per month — a potential savings of up to $2,220 per year, while he remains fully enrolled in Medicare Part B.
Typical reductions translated to savings
- $25/month≈ $300/year
- $75/month≈ $900/year
- $125/month≈ $1,500/year
- $185/month≈ $2,220/year
Availability varies by ZIP code, county, carrier, eligibility, and plan year.
- ✓Many counties have plans offering Part B reductions
- ✓Some counties have multiple options to choose from
- ✓Some counties have none at all
- ✓Available amounts change every year
- ✓Actual availability depends entirely on your ZIP code
This is why no calculator can predict the exact savings available in your specific area.
- Many plans: $25–$75/month
- Common higher-value plans: $75–$150/month
- Highest available in some areas: Up to approximately $185/month
General ranges only. Actual amounts depend on your ZIP code and the plans available in your county.
Most Medicare Advantage plans that offer a Part B reduction provide somewhere between approximately $25 and $185 per month, although some counties have no giveback available and a few plans may offer amounts close to the full Part B premium. Actual amounts depend on your ZIP code, county, carrier, eligibility, and plan year.
Most TFL beneficiaries have creditable drug coverage through TRICARE Pharmacy / Express Scripts and usually do not need a standalone Part D plan. Toggle on only if you actually enroll in Part D or an MA-PD.
Your IRMAA bracket — 2026
Standard premium
Based on $100,000 MAGI (Married Filing Jointly). No IRMAA surcharge applies at this income.
Standard Part B premium
$202.90
per month
$2,434.80
per year
Part B IRMAA surcharge
$0.00
per month
$0.00
per year
Total Part B before reduction
$202.90
per month
$2,434.80
per year
Compare your costs
How Original Medicare + TFL stacks up against a Medicare Advantage plan + TFL with a $0.00/mo Part B giveback.
Option A
Original Medicare + TRICARE For Life
- Part B premium (standard)
- $202.90
- Part B IRMAA surcharge
- $0.00
- Part B reduction
- —
- Net monthly cost
- $202.90
- Net annual cost
- $2,434.80
Option B
Medicare Advantage + TRICARE For Life
- Part B premium (standard)
- $202.90
- Part B IRMAA surcharge
- $0.00
- Part B reduction (giveback)
- − $0.00
- Net monthly cost
- $202.90
- Net annual cost
- $2,434.80
Side-by-side comparison
Adjust the Part B reduction slider above to see how each option changes.
Monthly savings
+ $0.00
Annual savings
+ $0.00
Estimates only — savings are not guaranteed. Actual Part B premium and IRMAA are determined by SSA / CMS based on your IRS data. Medicare Advantage Part B giveback amounts vary by ZIP code, county, carrier, and plan year and can change every January.
Could a Part B reduction be worth exploring?
This may be worth exploring if:
- ✓You have TRICARE For Life
- ✓You want to reduce your monthly Medicare costs
- ✓You're open to comparing available plans
- ✓Your preferred doctors participate
It may not be worthwhile if:
- •Your physicians aren't in a participating network
- •You strongly prefer unrestricted Original Medicare provider access
- •You want to avoid possible referral or prior authorization requirements
Every county is different
Why checking your own ZIP code matters
- •Some counties have no Part B reductions at all.
- •Other counties have several plans offering reductions.
- •A few areas have givebacks approaching approximately $185/month.
- •The only way to know what's available is to compare plans where you live.
Part B reductions are commonly offered by major Medicare Advantage carriers depending on location — such as Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and others depending on county.
Doctor first. We recommend checking that your preferred doctors participate before considering the amount of a Part B reduction.
No enrollment required. Educational comparison only.
Many retired military families never learn this benefit exists — not because it's rare, but because Medicare Advantage plans vary by county and no one has shown them what is available where they live.
Quick answers
- Can everyone get a Part B reduction?
- No. Availability depends on where you live.
- Do I lose TRICARE For Life?
- No.
- Can I keep my doctor?
- It depends on the plan's provider network.
- Does this replace Medicare?
- No.
Example savings from different counties
Examples only — not actual plan recommendations.
Veteran A
$40/month reduction
≈ $480/year
Veteran B
$95/month reduction
≈ $1,140/year
Veteran C
$185/month reduction
≈ $2,220/year
Actual amounts depend entirely on your ZIP code, county, carrier, eligibility, and plan year.
What do these savings actually mean?
- Part B reductions vary by ZIP code and county — a plan that pays $150/mo back in one county may pay $0 in the next.
- Givebacks vary by carrier and change every plan year. Today's giveback is not guaranteed next January.
- A Part B reduction does not eliminate the requirement to stay enrolled in Part B — you still have to keep Part B to keep TFL.
- Givebacks come from the Medicare Advantage plan, not Medicare. The MA carrier funds the credit, typically through your Social Security check.
- Higher giveback ≠ better value. A larger giveback can come with tighter networks, more referrals, or more prior authorization requirements.
- Compare total value: premium, copays, drug list, network, referral rules, and TFL coordination — not just the giveback amount.
Special considerations for retired military
- TRICARE For Life continues whether you stay with Original Medicare or join a Medicare Advantage plan — but the way TFL coordinates changes.
- Medicare Advantage does not replace TFL. With MA, the MA plan becomes primary and TFL acts as secondary inside the MA plan's network.
- Provider networks still matter. TFL does not force a Medicare Advantage plan to cover an out-of-network doctor.
- Prior authorization still matters. MA plans can require prior auth for services Original Medicare would cover with no review.
- Compare total value, not only the giveback — premium, copays, network, drug list, and TFL coordination together.
- Doctor access should remain the highest priority. If your trusted physicians don't take a specific MA plan, the giveback is rarely worth it.
Before choosing a plan
- ✓Part B is still required for TRICARE For Life
- ✓Networks vary by plan and county
- ✓Prior authorization requirements differ
- ✓Giveback amounts change each year
- ✓Referral rules may apply on some plans
- ✓TFL does not auto-resolve every MA denial
Related glossary terms
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