Insurance Health Insurance Can You Pay Medicare Online With a Credit Card? By Jessica Walrack Updated on September 19, 2022 Reviewed by Anthony Battle In This Article View All In This Article Which Medicare Parts Do You Pay For? How Often Do You Need To Make Payments? Medicare Payment Methods Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Photo: Marko Geber / Getty Images Medicare is the federal health insurance program available to U.S. seniors ages 65 and older and to people living with disabilities or end-stage renal disease. While federally funded, you can incur some costs for coverage. Learn more about which Medicare parts you pay for, if you can make payments with a credit card, and the other payment methods Medicare accepts. Key Takeaways Medicare accepts various payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, checks, money orders, and bank transfers.Your costs for Medicare will depend on the coverage you get and your income.Late payments can result in coverage cancellations and late-enrollment penalties. Which Medicare Parts Do You Pay For? The amount you pay for Medicare will depend on various factors, including the type of coverage you get, your income, and if you receive benefit payments. Here’s a breakdown of the different parts and their costs. Part A Medicare Part A provides hospital insurance coverage, skilled nursing facility care, hospice, and home health care. If you or your spouse paid the minimum amount of required Medicare taxes throughout your life, you won’t have to pay a monthly premium for this coverage. However, if you don’t qualify for premium-free Part A, you can buy it. As of 2022, the cost comes to $274 or $499 per month, depending on how long you worked and how much you paid in Medicare taxes. Note If you buy Medicare Part A coverage, you’ll need to pay for Medicare Part B. Part B Medicare Part B provides medical insurance to cover doctors’ bills, outpatient bills, durable medical equipment, and other medical insurance costs. The standard premium amount for Part B in 2022 is $170.10, but if your income from two years prior is above a certain threshold, you will be charged more. The Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) is in addition to the standard Part B premium. In 2022, an IRMAA is charged if you make above $91,000 and will increase as your income increases. Part C Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage Plans, offers an alternative to Part A and Part B Medicare. You get medical and hospital insurance coverage from private, Medicare-approved companies. Medicare Advantage may also offer drug coverage (Part D) and even health, vision, dental, and hearing services. Medicare Advantage premiums vary. You’ll need to stay in Part B and continue paying any Part B premiums to qualify for Medicare Advantage (Part C). Part D Medicare Part D offers coverage for the costs of prescription drugs. It’s often included in Part C but can be added to Original Medicare plans. Your Part D premium cost will vary by plan, and higher-income individuals will pay more. How Often Do You Need To Make Payments? The frequency of bill due dates will depend on the type(s) of Medicare you have. When premium payments are required, Medicare Parts A and D require monthly payments. If you only have Medicare Part B and get bills, you’ll only receive them once every three months. All Medicare bills are due by the 25th of the month. Note Most people have their Medicare Part B (medical insurance) premium auto-deducted from their Social Security benefit payments, and don’t receive bills. Medicare Payment Methods Medicare accepts various payment methods, making it convenient to stay up-to-date on your premium payments. Here’s a look at the options. Credit Card Credit card payments process faster than other forms, particularly when you pay with your secure Medicare account. You can pay your Medicare premiums with a Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express credit card. You can pay with a credit card in the following ways: By mail: Your bill will have designated boxes for credit card details. Don’t forget to sign and send back the coupon. Without a signature, the coupon will be returned to you and the payment won’t be processed.Online: Pay at Medicare.gov by logging into your secure account and clicking “Pay my premium.” While no phone payment option is listed, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) with any payment questions you may have. Debit Card Along with credit cards, Medicare accepts payments via debit cards online and through the mail. You can pay with a Visa, Discover, Mastercard, or American Express card. Check or Money Order Do you prefer to pay by check or money order? No problem. Send it back with your payment coupon using the return envelope that came with your bill. If you don’t have the coupon, write your Medicare number on your check or money order. If you don’t have the return envelope, you can mail it in another envelope to: Medicare Premium Collection Center P.O. Box 790355 St Louis, MO, 63179-0355 Your Bank’s Bill Pay If you’d like to make a payment online directly from a checking or savings account, you can do so in two ways. First, you can log into your Medicare account, click “Pay my premium,” and enter your bank account details. Second, you can contact your bank to request an online bill payment, either one-time or recurring. Medicare Easy Pay Medicare Easy Pay is a free service enabling automatic payments so you don’t have to manually pay your premiums. You enter your bank account details and agree to automatic withdrawals. Medicare then deducts your premium payments from your account on the 20th of each month (or the first business day after the 20th). Sign up for Easy Pay online by logging into your Medicare account and selecting “My Premiums.” From there, click “Sign Up” and complete the short form. Additionally, you can fill in the Easy Pay enrollment form online and follow instructions on printing and mailing it. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) What happens if my Medicare payment is late? If your Medicare payment is late, you will receive a late bill notice. On that notice, you’ll find termination dates. If you don’t pay before those dates, you’ll lose coverage. What happens if my coverage lapses due to late payment? If you lose Medicare coverage due to a late payment, you may have to wait to sign up again and could pay late-enrollment penalties. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you contact your local Social Security field office or call 1-800-772-1213 in this situation. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources The Balance uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Medicare. "Costs." Medicare. "How To Pay Part A & Part B Premiums." Medicare. "Understanding Your Medicare Premium Bill." Medicare. "Medicare Easy Pay."