Part b

[mickeyd]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Received this from MOAA today. Hope that the increase does not affect you.[/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Medicare Part B Inequity Strikes[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Senate failed to act in time on legislation to prevent all Medicare beneficiaries from seeing a Part B premium increases this year. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]As a result nearly 25% of Medicare beneficiaries are now subject to increased Part B premiums (and a net reduction in their Social Security checks) this month. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In years like 2010 when there’s no Social Security COLA, current law protects most Medicare beneficiaries from premium increases. This "hold harmless" provision covers nearly 75% of Medicare beneficiaries who will maintain their 2009 Part B premiums of $96.40 per month. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The other 25% of Medicare-eligibles will see a significant increase in their premiums. Those affected by the Part B premium increase include: [/FONT]

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• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]new eligibles who will turn 65 in 2010 [/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Medicare beneficiaries who don't yet receive Social Security benefits and pay Part B premiums directly to Medicare [/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]some Medicare-eligibles who also qualify for Medicaid [/FONT]
• [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]beneficiaries with 2008 adjusted gross incomes greater than $85,000 ($170,000 for married couples) [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Even though overall inflation was negative for FY2009, medical costs actually rose, and that's what drives Part B premiums, which are supposed to reflect 25% of Medicare's cost of delivering care. But when the premium for 75% of beneficiaries is frozen, the cost increase must be borne entirely by the remaining 25% (about 11 million beneficiaries). [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]So the basic Part B premium for beneficiaries not protected by the "hold harmless" provision will be $110.50 a month in 2010 - a $14.10 increase. Premiums for higher-income people with a modified adjusted gross income of more than $85,000 (for those filing an individual return) or $170,000 (married couples filing jointly) will rise even more -- to $154.70 - $353.60 a month, depending on the size of their incomes[/FONT]

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