• Most people don’t receive a bill from Medicare for their Part A and Part B premiums.
  • If you do receive a bill (Medicare form CMS-500), you can pay it online through your bank or Medicare Easy Pay.
  • You can use your debit or credit card to pay, either online or by mailing your credit card information to Medicare.
  • You can also pay using a check or money order.

Medicare is made up of multiple parts, and each part may have a monthly premium you’ll need to pay for coverage.

Most people don’t receive a bill from Medicare for their premiums because they are taken directly from Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board checks. However, there are certain cases when you’ll need to pay these bills manually.

Like many other federal service providers, Medicare has created several ways for you to pay your premiums easily. Read on to learn more about what you need to know and the different ways you can pay.

Medicare accepts several forms of payment, so use whichever method is easiest and most convenient for you.

Medicare Easy Pay

If you have a secure MyMedicare.gov account, you can sign up for Medicare Easy Pay, which will automatically deduct your payments from your checking or savings account every month. Medicare Easy Pay is free to use.

Automatic payments

If you’d prefer to have your bank manage the transaction, you can set up automatic payments through your online banking institution. Medicare can’t make arrangements with your personal bank, though. You’ll need to contact your bank to arrange the autopay.

Credit or debit card

You can pay your premium with a credit or debit card in two ways:

  1. You can log into your secure MyMedicare.gov account and use your credit or debit card to make an online payment each month. It’s important to note that you won’t be able to set up an automatic monthly payment to Medicare on your credit or debit card. You’ll need to log in and make the payment before the due date every month. The payment will show up as “CMS Medicare” on your billing statement.
  2. You can write your credit or debit card information on the tear-off portion of your Medicare bill and mail it to Medicare.

Check or money order

You can also send payments by check or money order to the address on your Medicare bill. Use the tear-off coupon so your payment isn’t delayed.

You cannot make a payment to Medicare over the phone.

Here are a few useful things to know about your Medicare premium bill.

  • Expect the bill around the 10th day of the month. Medicare premium bills usually arrive on or around the 10th day of each month. Some people only receive a bill once every 3 months; others receive their bills monthly.
  • You’re paying for next month’s coverage. Medicare bills you for the upcoming month, rather than the month you’re currently in. If you’re billed every month and you get a bill in January, you’re paying for coverage in February. If you’re billed every 3 months and you get a bill in June, your payment is for coverage in July, August, and September.
  • Your full premium is due by the date on the Form CMS-500. Your payment is due on the 25th of the same month you received the bill. It’s important to pay the bill by the due date. If you don’t pay the full amount on time, you could lose your Medicare coverage. Making a partial payment might not keep Medicare from canceling your coverage.

Help paying Medicare premiums

If you need help paying your Medicare premiums, you may qualify for one of these programs for lower-income Medicare beneficiaries:

  • Medicaid. Medicaid is run jointly by state and federal governments. It’s a healthcare safety net program.
  • Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program. The QMB program offers help paying Medicare Part A and Part B deductibles, premiums, copays, and coinsurance.
  • Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) program. The SLMB program helps you pay Medicare Part B premiums.
  • Qualifying Individual (QI) program. The QI program helps you pay Part B premiums if you don’t qualify for Medicaid.
  • Qualified Disabled and Working Individual (QDWI) program. The QDWI program helps pay Medicare Part A premiums.
  • Extra Help. The Extra Help program offers assistance paying your Part D drug coverage premiums.
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  • Most people don’t receive a bill directly from Medicare for their premiums. If you do, you have several ways to pay it.
  • You can pay online, by either scheduling automatic electronic payments through your bank or using Medicare Easy Pay. You can also pay online with your debit or credit card.
  • Medicare allows you to send credit or debit card payments through the mail. You can also mail checks or money orders directly to Medicare.
  • Bills generally arrive around the 10th day of the month and are due on the 25th day of the month. Depending on your plan, your bill might come once per month or once every 3 months.
  • It’s important to pay premiums on time. If you don’t you could lose your coverage.
  • If you reapply for coverage during the next enrollment period, you could end up paying higher premiums or long-term penalties.