How Much Does Medicare Cost in 2026? A Plain-English Breakdown for NJ

Every fall I get the same question from people in Manahawkin, Toms River, and Brick: "What is this actually going to cost me?" It's a fair question, and the honest answer is that it depends on which parts of Medicare you use and how you set them up. Here are the 2026 numbers and what they mean in practice.

Part A (hospital) in 2026

Most people pay no Part A premium because they paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. If you didn't, the premium can run up to $518 a month. The Part A hospital deductible for 2026 is $1,736 per benefit period, which is what you'd owe for a hospital stay before Medicare pays its share.

Part B (doctors and outpatient) in 2026

The standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month, deducted from your Social Security check. Higher earners pay more through IRMAA surcharges. The annual Part B deductible is $283. After that, Original Medicare pays 80% of approved charges and you pay 20%, with no cap, unless you have a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan picking up that share.

Part D (prescriptions) in 2026

Premiums vary by plan, and some Medicare Advantage plans include drug coverage at no extra premium. The big change from a few years ago: the old "donut hole" is gone. Every Part D plan now has a hard cap on what you pay out of pocket for covered drugs, which is $2,100 for 2026. Once you hit it, covered prescriptions are $0 for the rest of the year.

What most people in Ocean County actually pay

• Original Medicare plus a Medigap plan: Part B premium, a Medigap premium (often $150 to $300 a month here depending on age and plan letter), and a separate Part D premium. Predictable, few surprises.

• Medicare Advantage: Part B premium plus a plan premium that's often $0. You pay copays as you go, up to an annual out-of-pocket maximum. Cheaper month to month, more variable when you use care.

• Either way, there's no cost to work with a broker. I'm paid by the carriers, and the premium is the same whether you enroll through me or directly.

The part the numbers don't tell you

The cheapest plan on paper is often the most expensive one in real life if your doctors are out of network or your prescriptions land in a high tier. That's the whole reason I check every doctor and every drug before I recommend anything. If you'd like me to run your specific numbers, call (732) 554-3021 or book a free consultation. It takes about 30 minutes and it costs you nothing.