The 2024 Medicare Part B Deductible

The 2024 Medicare Part B deductible is $240. This is the amount you must pay out of your own pocket for covered doctor visits and outpatient services before Medicare starts to pay its share. Once you have paid $240 in Part B costs during the calendar year, Medicare covers 80 percent of most services, and you pay 20 percent.

The deductible resets on January 1 each year. If you reach your deductible in March, you do not carry it forward to next year — you start fresh at $240 on January 1. The deductible applies to each person on Medicare separately, so if you and your spouse both have Part B, you each have your own $240 deductible to meet.

Part B covers doctor visits, lab tests, X-rays, ambulance services, and some medical equipment. It does not cover hospital stays (that is Part A) or prescription drugs (that is Part D). The deductible does not explore to preventive services like annual wellness visits, cancer screenings, or vaccines — those are covered at no cost to you once you have Part B.

Key Takeaways

  • You pay the first $240 of your Part B costs each calendar year before Medicare begins to share the cost.
  • The deductible covers doctor visits, tests, and outpatient care, but not hospital stays or prescription drugs.
  • Preventive services such as wellness visits and screenings do not count toward the deductible and cost you nothing.
  • The deductible amount changes each year and is set by Medicare based on inflation.
  • If you have a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan, your out-of-pocket costs may be lower because those plans help pay the deductible.

How the Deductible Works in Practice

Suppose you see your doctor in February and the visit costs $150. You pay the full $150 because you have not yet met your $240 deductible. In April, you have lab work done that costs $120. You pay $120, bringing your total to $270. You have now met your deductible, so Medicare pays 80 percent of the $120 lab bill — that is $96 — and you pay the remaining 20 percent, which is $24.

From that point forward in 2024, you pay 20 percent of the cost of covered services, and Medicare pays 80 percent. This continues until December 31. On January 1, 2025, your deductible resets to whatever amount Medicare sets for that year.

If you use very few medical services and never reach $240 in a year, you straightforward do not pay a deductible that year. There is no penalty for not using it. However, you still pay your monthly Part B premium regardless of whether you use services.

What Counts Toward the Deductible

Not all Part B costs count toward your deductible. Doctor visits, specialist visits, lab tests, imaging (X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs), physical therapy, and durable medical equipment all count. Ambulance services and emergency room visits also count.

Services that do not count toward the deductible include preventive care visits, cancer screenings, bone density tests, cardiovascular screenings, diabetes screenings, vaccines, and mental health screenings. These are covered at no cost to you. Mental health visits for treatment (not screening) do count toward the deductible.

If you are unsure whether a specific service counts, ask your doctor's office or call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE before the visit. They can tell you whether the service is covered and whether it counts toward your deductible.

How Medigap and Medicare Advantage Plans Affect the Deductible

If you have a Medigap plan (also called Medigap insurance), the plan may pay your Part B deductible for you. Some Medigap plans cover the deductible entirely, while others cover part of it. Which Medigap plan you have determines what it covers. Plans G, N, and some others cover the deductible; Plan K covers 50 percent of it. You should review your plan documents or call your Medigap insurer to confirm what your plan pays.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), the deductible structure is different. Medicare Advantage plans set their own deductibles, which may be higher, lower, or the same as the Part B deductible. Some Medicare Advantage plans have no deductible at all. Your plan documents will show your specific deductible amount and what it covers.

If you have neither Medigap nor Medicare Advantage and are on Original Medicare alone, you pay the full $240 deductible yourself.

The Deductible and Your Monthly Premium

Your Part B deductible is separate from your monthly Part B premium. The premium is what you pay each month to have Part B coverage — in 2024, the standard premium is $164.90 per month for most people, though some pay more based on income. You pay the premium whether or not you use any services.

The deductible is what you pay when you actually use a covered service. The two are not connected. You cannot use your monthly premium payment to count toward your deductible, and reaching your deductible does not change your monthly premium.

When the Deductible Resets and How to Track It

The deductible resets on January 1 each year. If you reach your deductible in November, you still have to pay the full deductible again starting January 1 — there is no carryover. Keep track of what you have paid toward your deductible by reviewing your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN), which Medicare sends to you quarterly. The MSN shows all your Part B claims and how much you have paid toward your deductible so far that year.

You can also check your deductible progress online through your Medicare account at Medicare.gov. Log in with your username and password, go to "Claims," and you will see a summary of what you have paid and what you still owe toward your deductible.

Deductible Changes Year to Year

The Part B deductible is not fixed. Medicare adjusts it each year based on the increase in Part B costs. In 2023, the deductible was $226. In 2024, it rose to $240. The amount for 2025 has not yet been announced but will be set by Medicare in the fall of 2024.

You will receive a notice from Medicare in the mail before the new year begins, telling you what the deductible will be. You can also find the current deductible on Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Part B deductible explore to my doctor's office visit copay?

The deductible applies to the full cost of the service, not just a copay. If your doctor charges $150 for a visit and you have not met your deductible, you pay the full $150. Once you meet the deductible, you pay 20 percent of the cost. If your doctor is a participating Medicare provider, they cannot charge you more than the Medicare-approved amount.

What happens if I reach my deductible in December?

Once you meet your deductible in December, Medicare pays 80 percent of your covered services for the rest of December. On January 1, the deductible resets, and you start over with a new deductible amount for the new year. There is no advantage to reaching it early or late in the year.

Do I have to pay the deductible if I only use preventive services?

No. Preventive services like annual wellness visits, cancer screenings, and vaccines do not count toward the deductible and cost you nothing. If you only use preventive services in a year, you do not pay a deductible. However, you still pay your monthly Part B premium.

Can I use my Health Savings Account to pay the Part B deductible?

Yes, if you have an HSA, you can use it to pay your Part B deductible. However, once you enroll in Medicare, you can no longer contribute new money to an HSA. You can only withdraw money that was already in the account to pay for Medicare costs, including the deductible.

What if my doctor charges more than Medicare allows?

If your doctor is a participating Medicare provider, they must accept the Medicare-approved amount and cannot charge you more. The deductible applies to the Medicare-approved amount, not the doctor's full charge. If your doctor is a non-participating provider, they may charge up to 15 percent more than the Medicare-approved amount, and you would owe that extra amount on top of your deductible.