Each spouse pays separate Medicare premiums, as coverage is individual rather than shared. The amount you pay for your premiums depends on your income and work history.
Medicare coverage is not shared between spouses. However, your spouse’s work history and your household income may affect your premium prices, depending on whether you filed taxes individually or jointly.
This article will cover how Medicare works for married couples and domestic partners and the factors that may affect the cost of your premiums.
People who paid Medicare taxes long enough while working don’t have to pay a monthly premium for Part A (hospital) coverage. To qualify for premium-free Part A coverage, you must have worked and paid Medicare taxes for about 10 years.
Medicare also offers premium-free coverage through Part A (hospital coverage) to the eligible spouses of enrollees. If you haven’t worked long enough to be eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A, you can use your spouse’s work history to qualify.
As of 2015, Medicare extended this benefit to same-sex partners.
Spouses and domestic partners each pay their own Medicare Part B premiums. This is because Medicare is not shared between couples like some private insurance plans can be.
Each spouse is responsible for paying their Part B (medical coverage) premium per month.
Your Part B premium depends on your modified adjusted gross income on your tax return from the previous year.
If you made less than or equal to $103,000 filing individually or less than or equal to $206,000 filing jointly, you pay the standard 2024 Part B premium of $174.70 per month.
But if you made more than $103,000 filing individually or more than $206,000 filing jointly, you will have to pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount. Your premium may vary from $244.60 to $594, depending on your income.
This typically affects only 8% of people with Medicare Part B.
In addition, if you did not sign up for Medicare Part B as soon as you were eligible, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty.
How your Medicare Part B premium is determined depends on how you filed your taxes.
Can my Medicare premium be higher than my spouse’s?
If you and your spouse filed taxes individually, and you had a higher modified adjusted gross income on your tax return, you may pay a higher premium than your spouse.
If you enroll late and must pay a penalty, you may also pay a higher premium for Part A and Part B.
Married couples and domestic partners pay separate Medicare premiums. Coverage is not shared.
If you haven’t worked long enough to qualify for premium-free Part A, you can use your spouse’s work history to qualify.
Your Part B premium cost depends on your gross income, as included on the previous year’s tax return.
