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Your Daily Posterous Spaces Update October 28th, 2011 Medicare to

Get Cheaper - for Some - in 2012 - Total Return -

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By Greene

If you’re already over 65 and have been paying $96.40 a month in Medicare

Part B premiums, you’re going to see those rise next year to $99.90. But new

enrollees this year are paying $115.40 a month, so their bills will go down

a bit. The Part B deductible decreases as well, by $22.

A federal press release issued a few minutes ago elaborates:

Medicare Part B covers physicians’ services, outpatient hospital services,

certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and other items. In

2012, the “standard” Medicare Part B premium will be $99.90. This is a

$15.50 decrease over the standard 2011 premium of $115.40 paid by new

enrollees and higher income Medicare beneficiaries and by Medicaid on behalf

of low-income enrollees.

The majority of people with Medicare have paid $96.40 per month for Part B

since 2008, due to a law that freezes Part B premiums in years where

beneficiaries do not receive cost-of-living (COLA) increases in their Social

Security checks. In 2012, these people with Medicare will pay the standard

Part B premium of $99.90, amounting to a monthly change of $3.50 for most

people with Medicare. This increase will be offset for almost all seniors

and people with disabilities by the additional income they will receive

thanks to the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. For example, the

average COLA for retired workers will be about $43 a month, which is

substantially greater than the $3.50 premium increase for affected

beneficiaries. Additionally, the Medicare Part B deductible will be $140, a

decrease of $22 from 2011.

There’s more information on the Medicare

website<http://www.cms.gov/apps/media/fact_sheets.asp>

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