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MED is not precise enough to identify a deduction by itself. In a benefits section it may mean medical insurance; in a taxes section it may mean Medicare. MC or MED can also be used for Medicare. It should not automatically be expanded as Medi-Cal.
Related spellings covered here: MC / MED.
How to read this entry
Use the meaning Medical premium or Medicare: an ambiguous label alongside the column heading. An earnings amount, an employee deduction and an employer-cost memo can have different effects even when their labels look similar.
Example on a pay statement
A fixed $85 MED deduction tied to your health-plan election is a different calculation from Medicare withholding of $29 on $2,000 of Medicare wages at 1.45%.
Examples illustrate the checking method. They are not a personal tax calculation or a promise of a particular benefit.
What to check with payroll
Use the column heading, benefit election and wage base together. Ask whether the line is a premium or a statutory tax before checking its amount.
Compare related entries
Read the federal, state and local payroll tax codes guide to compare the entries in this part of your statement. Use the full pay stub code directory when a second abbreviation is unfamiliar.
Reference and scope
Official guidance on federal, state and local payroll tax codes provides background on the underlying rules. The actual plan, tax year, jurisdiction and payroll record determine how the rules apply.