Medicare Part D

Medicare IRMAA in New Haven: 2027 Part B and D

New Haven, Conn. — With Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period running through Dec. 7, higher-income households in Connecticut are getting a fresh look at the surcharges they'll pay on Part B and Part D premiums next year. The income thresholds that trigger those extra charges — known as IRMAA — shift a bit each year, and for 2026 they start above $109,000 for a single filer.

Here's a plain-English guide to how IRMAA works, who it hits, and what to do if your situation has changed.

What IRMAA actually is

IRMAA stands for the Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It's an extra charge added to the standard Medicare Part B and Part D premiums for people whose income is above certain levels. It is not a separate bill from a private insurer — it's set by the federal government and tied to your tax return.

Two important things to know up front:

• IRMAA is based on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) from two years ago. For 2027 premiums, Social Security looks at your 2025 tax return.
• It applies to both Part B (doctor visits, outpatient care) and Part D (prescription drug coverage), even if your drug coverage is bundled inside a Medicare Advantage plan.

The 2026 income thresholds

For 2026, the surcharge begins once income crosses these lines, based on how you filed taxes in 2024:

• Single filers: above $109,000
• Married filing jointly: above $218,000
• Married filing separately (lived with spouse): a much lower threshold — the surcharge kicks in at a modest income level and climbs quickly.

From there, the brackets step up. Someone with slightly over $109,000 pays the smallest surcharge; the highest tier applies to single filers with income at or above $500,000 (or $750,000 for joint filers). There are five surcharge tiers in total.

Medicare.gov publishes the exact dollar amount added at each tier each fall. Because the standard Part B premium changes year to year, the surcharge dollars change too. The 2027 figures are expected later this fall. The 2027 figures are expected later this fall.

How you'll find out — and how you pay

If IRMAA applies to you, the Social Security Administration mails a predetermination notice, usually in late fall. It explains which tax year they used and what your 2027 premium will be.

For most people, the Part B surcharge (and the standard premium) is deducted from their Social Security check. The Part D surcharge is billed separately by Medicare or Social Security — not by your drug plan. That surprises a lot of people who assume switching plans will change the surcharge. It won't.

If your income has dropped, you can appeal

This is the part many people miss. If a "life-changing event" caused your income to fall since 2024, you can ask Social Security to recalculate using a more recent year. Qualifying events include:

• Retirement or reduced work hours
• Loss of a pension
• Death of a spouse
• Marriage or divorce
• Loss of income-producing property

You file Form SSA-44 with documentation. If it's approved, the surcharge is reduced or removed — sometimes retroactively. This is one of the most common reasons people in and around New Haven end up paying less than their initial notice suggests.

Why 2027 matters more than usual

A few things are changing at the same time, and they interact:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615 for 2026 and $700 for 2027.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone — Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.

None of these changes affect whether you owe IRMAA, but they do change the overall math of what your drug coverage costs. If you're weighing coverage during Annual Enrollment (through Dec. 7) or the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1–March 31), it's worth looking at both pieces together.

A note on local plan choices

New Haven is in New Haven County, where residents have a range of Medicare Advantage and stand-alone Part D options during enrollment. Plan counts and availability are set at the county level, not the city level. IRMAA, however, is a federal charge — it follows you regardless of which plan you pick or where in the country you live.