Why is Medicare Part D deductible suddenly appearing on my Social Security statement for 2024?
I was reviewing my Social Security statement online and noticed something odd. In 2023, my monthly benefit amount was listed with just the Medicare Part B premium deducted. But on my 2024 statement, they're now showing a Medicare Part D deductible being taken out too. I don't remember signing up for anything different, and I've had the same prescription drug coverage for years. When did Social Security start automatically deducting Part D premiums? Is this happening to anyone else or did something change with how they're handling Medicare deductions? I'm confused because I thought Part D was always paid directly to the insurance company, not through Social Security.
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Cedric Chung
You're likely seeing an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) for Part D on your statement, not the actual Part D premium itself. If your income from 2022 (which affects your 2024 Medicare costs) was above certain thresholds, Social Security automatically adds this surcharge to your monthly deductions. The base Part D premium still goes to your insurance company, but any income-related surcharge gets collected by Social Security directly. This has been happening for years, but maybe your income changed enough to trigger it for the first time in 2024.
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Hailey O'Leary
•Oh! That actually makes sense. My income did go up in 2022 because I cashed out some investments. But shouldn't they have notified me before just adding this charge? I don't remember getting any letter explaining this would happen.
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Talia Klein
THE EXACT SAME THING happened to me!!! I was so confused because I've been on the same plan for 3 years and suddenly theres this new deduction?? I called SSA about it but got disconnected TWICE after waiting for over an hour each time. This is so frustrating!!!
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Maxwell St. Laurent
•If you're struggling to get through to Social Security about this, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was having the same issue trying to get answers about some weird deductions on my statement. I tried their service and got connected to an actual SSA agent in under 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Honestly worth it for saving hours of frustration.
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Talia Klein
•Thanks for the tip! At this point I'd try anything to get a straight answer. Going to check that out right now.
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PaulineW
This is the IRMAA surcharge for Part D that kicks in when your income goes above certain levels. It's based on your tax return from 2 years ago (so 2022 tax return affects 2024 Medicare costs). The Medicare Part D IRMAA ranges from $12.90 up to $81.00 extra per month depending on your income level. You should have received a predetermination letter and then an official notice from SSA about this change. Check your mail from around October/November last year.
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Hailey O'Leary
•You're right - I just dug through my pile of mail and found a letter from last November that I completely overlooked. It does explain the IRMAA surcharge. It's only $12.90 but still, I wish I had paid more attention. Thank you!
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Annabel Kimball
its not the deductible its the irmaa which is the income related monthly adjustment amount. happens when u make more money. they add extra to ur part b and part d. happens to me every yr cuz i still work part time even tho im 68
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Chris Elmeda
Wait so does everyone have to pay this Part D thing? I'm turning 65 next month and just starting to figure all this Medicare stuff out. My head is spinning with all these parts and letters!
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Cedric Chung
•No, not everyone pays a Part D IRMAA surcharge. It only affects beneficiaries whose modified adjusted gross income exceeds certain thresholds ($103,000 for individuals or $206,000 for married couples in 2024, based on 2022 tax returns). The regular Part D premium is paid directly to your drug plan provider, not through Social Security deductions, unless you specifically request withholding.
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Chris Elmeda
•Oh thank goodness! My income is definitely below those amounts so I shouldn't have to worry about that at least. Thanks!
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Jean Claude
I had this exact same question last month! Turns out its because my income went up in 2022. They look at your tax return from 2 years ago to decide if you have to pay extra for Medicare. I called and they explained it to me. Something about IRMAA for high income people. I think its ridiculous they can just start charging more without making it super clear!
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Hailey O'Leary
•I agree they should make it much clearer! I apparently did get a letter but it looked like all the other Medicare mail I get and I must have overlooked it. Lesson learned - I need to open and read EVERYTHING from SSA and Medicare from now on.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
This is definitely the Part D IRMAA surcharge. If your income has changed since 2022 (such as retirement, job loss, divorce, death of spouse), you can file Form SSA-44 for a reduction in your IRMAA amount. It's called a 'life-changing event' appeal. If your 2023 income was significantly lower than 2022, this might help you get the surcharge reduced or eliminated for the remainder of 2024.
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Hailey O'Leary
•That's really helpful information! My income in 2023 was actually much lower since the investment cashout was a one-time thing. I'll look into filing that SSA-44 form right away. Thank you so much for letting me know this is possible!
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Annabel Kimball
my freind says sometimes they make mistakes to. u should call ssa to make sure its not a error. they did that 2 me once and i had to get it fixed
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PaulineW
One important thing to note: If you're seeing this Part D IRMAA for the first time, you should know it typically increases annually alongside inflation adjustments. For 2024, there are 5 income tiers with corresponding surcharge amounts: $12.90, $32.80, $52.60, $72.50, and $81.00 monthly. This is separate from and in addition to your regular Part D premium that you pay to your insurer. The tier you fall into depends on your MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) from your 2022 tax return.
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Hailey O'Leary
•Thanks for breaking down the different tiers. I'm in the lowest one at $12.90, but it's good to understand how the system works. I guess I need to factor this into my retirement budget planning going forward, especially if I have any unusual income years.
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Talia Klein
Does anyone know if there's a way to get rid of this charge for next year? Is it permanent once they start charging it?? I'm on a fixed income and every dollar counts!
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Maxwell St. Laurent
•It's not permanent! It's recalculated every year based on your tax return from 2 years prior. So your 2023 tax return will determine your 2025 IRMAA amount. If your income drops below the threshold (currently $103,000 for individuals), the surcharge goes away automatically for the following year.
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