Medicare Hold-Harmless Rule: Who It Protects and How the Cap Works
When a Part B premium increase can be limited by a Social Security COLA—and when it cannot.
Published · Updated
What the rule does
For an eligible enrollee, the hold-harmless provision limits the dollar increase in the Medicare Part B premium to the dollar increase in the person's Social Security benefit. It prevents a standard Part B increase, by itself, from making the net Social Security payment smaller.
Official evidence Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services + Social Security Administration + Social Security Administration · as of 2026-06-09Who generally qualifies
SSA explains that a person generally needs to be entitled to Social Security benefits for the relevant November and December and have the December and January Part B premiums deducted from monthly benefits.
Common exceptions
- Someone enrolling in Part B for the first time.
- Someone paying an income-related monthly adjustment amount, or IRMAA.
- A dual Medicare-Medicaid beneficiary whose state pays the Part B premium.
Individual situations can be more complicated. Use the COLA + Medicare calculator only as a planning scenario and confirm the actual premium on the official notice.
General information only. Confirm personal benefit details with SSA or your my Social Security account.