2016 Medicare beneficiaries premium up 52% to $160

[shcisamax]

This affects anyone newly claiming benefits beginning in 2016. Prior claimants will remain at the $105 or possibly go to $120.

I find it amazing the news has not been reporting until yesterday that all new 2016 medicare beneficiaries will face a 52% hike in the part B premium.

The deal is pretty much done but they are still trying to see if there is a way not to raise it to the 52%.

Anyone who is turning 65 in 2016 or after should be calling their senators and congressman's office.

The questions I have are:

1. Why has this not been public info until now (even most of the insurance agents didn't know) - decisions will be made next week?

2. Why is the excessive cost being passed on to new beneficiaries instead of spreading the the costs over the remaining 70% of the recipients? Is this the beginning of step up financing where every couple years they bring people on at a higher cost?

3. What is the alternative solution they are considering?

If this is not going to go through as above, people need to pick the phone today.

[Sable99]

I heard this on the news yesterday too. The report I heard was a tad different. They said the 52% increase was being passed onto--
1) All new recipients,
2) those in higher income brackets and
3) those on Medicaid! (They couldn't understand Medicaid recipients since they could least afford the increase.)

I admit I heard this while I was driving and I might have missed something in the report

[KeepingItReal]

This affects anyone newly claiming benefits beginning in 2016. Prior claimants will remain at the $105 or possibly go to $120.

I find it amazing the news has not been reporting until yesterday that all new 2016 medicare beneficiaries will face a 52% hike in the part B premium.

T.


This was put out August 19th but there has been little coverage by the so called main stream media:

Will Medicare costs bomb you in 2016? - Bankrate.com (http://www.bankrate.com/financing/retirement/will-medicare-costs-bomb-you-in-2016/)

Sept 16th Article:

Surprise! Your Medicare Part B premiums may increase by 50 percent in 2016 (http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/medicare-heartburn-2016-projected-50-percent-jump-part-b-premiums/)

October 07, 2015 Article on efforts to stop it but it may just be window dressing:

Millions Face a 50 % Medicare Premium Hike If Obama and Congress Don (http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2015/10/07/Millions-Facing-Hefty-Increase-Medicare-Premiums-2016)

[KeepingItReal]

Duplicate deleted.

[shcisamax]

Sable, it does NOT affect those with medicaid. That must have been an error. Also, it effects anyone who is paying out of pocket...i.e. someone that is holding off on collecting their full benefit for ss.

[shcisamax]

Keeping it Real: I believe there is still some discussion but, so far, they haven't come up with an alternative plan. I have asked Rubio's office to find out what is the possible plan but i haven't heard back.

[alwann]

Not meaning to get political, but this seems like "We have to pass the bill to see what's in it."

[shcisamax]

I clearly missed those articles. Actually, I have been speaking to different insurance companies looking for the supplement plan and of the four companies I spoke to, only one knew about it - or chose to tell me.

[Jimturner]

I would be ok with 5 % of gross income not to exceed 10000 dollars per person. That would help offset for the lower income folks that get just as sick as we Villagers do.

[shcisamax]

I would be ok with 5 % of gross income not to exceed 10000 dollars per person. That would help offset for the lower income folks that get just as sick as we Villagers do.

I was thinking the same about the Obamacare...if they had just taxed everyone $100 every year to subsidize the less fortunate, we could have done without the insanity.

[shcisamax]

I hope for but do not expect good news on this in the beginning of next week. In the meantime, if anyone feels compelled, they should contact their representatives, ( in TV - congressman Nugent, and Florida senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio) to express their concern. It never hurts for them to hear from their constituents and certainly Cong. Nugent knows where his audience is.

[yabbadu]

From what I read the increase is on those with higher income levels.

[Big O]

From what I read the increase is on those with higher income levels.

And, I believe, anyone of any income level just enrolling.

[goodtimesintv]

Look at the screwed up mess they make.

See:
Medicare Part B premiums to rise 52% for 7 million enrollees (http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/powell/2015/10/07/medicare-part-b-premiums-rise-2016/72621746/)

Medicare population is roughly 50 million enrollees. The USA population is 320 million. Why......WHY in the world do about 30% of you here want the mess they make of medicare to be inflicted upon the entire population when Congress can't even handle Medicare and the VA system decently???

And why do we let these congressional mess makers stay in office more than 2 terms????

[Erijo]

Hi all, after reading these posts I went to Medicare.gov: the official U.S. government site for Medicare (http://www.medicare.gov) and read the details. Basically it's your gross income from two years prior that determines your Medicare monthly premium. My best advice is to go to this website. 🏥. 💸. 👌.

[TOTV Team]

Please note: Discussions on non partisan issues i.e.: medicare can be discussed in this section. If this topic makes a political turn toward a party or politician it will need to be moved into Political discussions.

Regards,

TOTV Team

[applesoffh]

It'a unfortunate that rates are going up for many, but Medicare reimbursement to doctors is so bad, that many doctors no longer take Medicare patients. Those that do overbook to make up the difference. Someone has to pay the doctors, their staff, the overhead, etc., and if you honestly believe that Medicare reimbursement at the current levels is sufficient, there are a couple of bridge in Brooklyn for sale.

[2BNTV]

It seems that the increase only affects new enrollee's for 2016. Although I am not affected, an extra $48 doesn't seem like a lot, if your earning 85,000 per year or 170,000 per couple.

If one wants to give me that kind of income, I gladly pay the premium. IMHO

On the other hand, it's an easy position to take, if your not affected. Nobody likes to pay more for a service, than they have to,

[dotti105]

i was thinking the same about the obamacare...if they had just taxed everyone $100 every year to subsidize the less fortunate, we could have done without the insanity.

amen!!!