Medicare premiums are set to rise in 2026. Here are 3 ways a Medicare supplemental insurance plan can help.

While a Medicare supplemental insurance plan isn't free, it can help offset some increasing costs in 2026. Rabia Elif Aksoy/Getty Images

For the millions of retired Americans who count on Medicare to help cover their health care costs, 2026 is shaping up to be an expensive year. While Social Security recipients are set to receive a cost-of-living adjustment next year that will add an average of $56 to their monthly checks, that modest boost won't go nearly as far as many had hoped. The reason? Healthcare costs are climbing faster than those fixed-income increases, with Medicare premiums leading the charge .

Case in point? Next year's Medicare Part B premium will jump to $202.90 per month, marking a nearly 10% increase that will consume a sizable portion of the average Social