Medicare Advantage’s Give Back Benefit

The Medicare Give Back Benefit is a Part B premium reduction that some insurance companies offer on their Medicare plan premiums. The benefit is only available for certain Medicare Advantage plans.

Plans with a Medicare Give Back benefit differ from zero-premium Medicare plans. Zero-premium plans have no premium for the plan itself but still require the member to pay their full Part B premium. Meanwhile, Medicare Give Back plans reduce what you pay for your Part B premiums. Since the payment for Part B premiums often comes from your Social Security benefits check, the Give Back results in less taken from the check for coverage each month.

Only people who pay their Medicare premiums themselves can receive a Medicare Give Back benefit. People who have their premiums covered by Medicaid cannot enroll in a Give Back plan.

Other than that regulation, the government has no eligibility requirements for Medicare Give Back enrollment. Monthly income levels and owned asset levels don’t come into consideration. The plan that offers the program has oversight.

The Medicare Give Back benefit is offered on a state-to-state basis and isn’t available nationwide. Insurance companies in 48 states offer Medicare Advantage Give Back plans. They cover people in specific service areas and may not be available to residents in all ZIP codes.

You can check if any Give Back plans are available in your area using the official Medicare Plan Finder tool. Select a plan, click “plan details” and look at “Part B premium reduction” to determine if that specific plan participates in the Give Back benefit. You can also ask a licensed advisor to find a Give Back plan for you. If no plans are available where you live, your advisor can also help you find alternate coverage.

Medicare Give Back benefits are applied directly to your monthly Medicare Part B premiums. Insurance companies that sell Medicare Advantage plans with a Give Back benefit work with the Social Security Administration to credit your Social Security benefits account each month. You will need to pay the difference between the Give Back benefit amount and your Medicare Part B premium.

For example, if your Give Back benefit amount is $50, that amount will no longer come out of your Social Security benefits check each month. Meaning, you will receive more money each month from your Social Security check if your Medicare Advantage plan participates in Give Back. You would still have the remaining Part B premium amount subtracted from your check each month.

Medicare Part B Give Back plans can provide anywhere from 10 cents to the full premium cost. If your benefit is equal to the full premium amount, $185 in 2025, your Medicare Part B coverage will be free other than any deductibles and coinsurance or copays included in your Medicare Advantage plan. You can also find many Medicare Advantage plans that may feature $0 monthly premiums using online tools.

The amount of Medicare Give Back benefits also varies from plan to plan. You’ll need to check the details of your plan to find out how much you will receive.

While Medicare Give Back plans can save some money, there can be drawbacks as well.

Lower premiums mean insurers make less money on Give Back plans than they do on standard plans. Insurance providers who offer Give Back plans often offset the cost of the premium reductions by reducing coverage included in those plans. There can also be hidden fees.

It’s a good idea to compare Medicare Advantage plans before signing up for one. If you’re not sure which plan is right for you, ask a licensed advisor for help. Avoid making a decision based solely on the Give Back benefit. Be sure to look at the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage plans before making a choice.

Editor Samantha Connell contributed to this article.