How the Hold Harmless Provision Protects Your Benefits

Social Security works together with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to make sure you won’t have a reduction in your Social Security benefits as a result of Medicare Part B premium increases.

A special rule called the “hold harmless provision” protects your Social Security benefit payment from decreasing due to an increase in the Medicare Part B premium. The Part B base premium for 2022 is $170.10, which is $21.60 higher than the 2021 base premium.

Most people with Medicare will pay the new premium amount because the increase in their benefit amount will cover the increase. However, a small number of people will see little or no increase in their Part B premium — and their Social Security benefit checks will remain the same — because the amount of their cost-of-living adjustment isn’t large enough to cover the increase.

To qualify for the hold harmless provision, you must:

• Receive Social Security benefits or be entitled to Social Security benefits for November and December of the current year.
• Have your Medicare Part B premiums for December and January deducted from your monthly benefits.

There are exceptions:

The hold harmless provision does NOT apply to you if:

• You enroll in Part B for the first time in 2022.
• You pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount premium.
• You are dually eligible for Medicaid and have your premium paid by a state Medicaid agency.

You can learn more about Part B costs by visiting Medicare .