Here's why: A so-called "hold harmless" legal provision has protected the majority of retirees from increased Medicare Part B premiums if it would reduce their Social Security benefits. It affects people whose premiums are deducted from their monthly Social Security check. (Note: New Medicare enrollees are not protected by the provision.)
Premiums for Part B, which primarily covers doctors' visits and other outpatient care, can change annually, as it is expected to fund about 25 percent of the the program's annual expected per-beneficiary spending. For 2017 the premium was $134, with higher earners paying more.
Yet because of the hold harmless provision, the actual amount paid by most Medicare recipients is about $109 monthly, research from the The Senior Citizens League shows.
So even if Part B premiums don't rise in 2018, the average retiree will see that extra $25 go toward paying the difference between their monthly Social Security check ($109) and the Part B cost ($134).
