Medicare Part B premiums rising 23%
A large minority (42 percent) of Medicare Part B beneficiaries will have their premium rise from $109 to $134 for 2018, CMS announced on Nov. 17.
As summarized by CNBC, the increase is thanks to the 2 percent rise in Social Security payments, as Part B premium hikes can’t exceed cost-of-living increases in Social Security benefits. This meant premiums stayed relatively flat at the same time Social Security checks did, with no increase in 2016 and a 0.3 percent jump in 2017.
The standard monthly premiums for Part B will remain unchanged at $134. The Part B deductible will remain $183. The Part A premium for inpatient care will jump $24 to $1,340.
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John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.