Every fall, millions of retirees wait anxiously to hear how much their Social Security checks will increase through the annual cost-of-living adjustment, better known as the COLA. Unfortunately, many seniors are discovering that even when benefits rise, Medicare premiums often rise alongside them and eat away a large portion of the increase. The standard Medicare Part B premium jumped to $202.90 per month, up from $185 in 2025, representing a sharp 9.7% increase. Many seniors now worry that future COLA increases may barely be noticeable once higher healthcare deductions are taken out of their monthly checks.
