Part B Premium 2017?

[sshafran]

It's not that big of a deal to keep it as low as politically possible.

Not like we have debt issues or anything....

U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

 

[LostDollar]

They can only have that premium for people new to Medicare. The hold harmless provision will keep current Medicare beneficiaries premiums in check based on the COLA, if any.

Does that mean there could be 3 different part B premiums in 2017?

 

[jdeasy]

Does that mean there could be 3 different part B premiums in 2017?

Yes. That happened a few years. I may be off a bit on the numbers but we had some people paying $94/mo. Some paying $99/mo and some paying $115/mo.

We went a couple year with no COLA raise is how that happened. Then when they got raises was when it went to the $104.90/mo and went to it for everyone except the high earners.

So some people actually got have a part B premium decrease.

It gets difficult to explain when there's several levels since people tend to seek their medicare advice from the barber or the mailman. When they are talking different premiums it confuses them even more.

 

[somarco]

people tend to seek their medicare advice from the barber or the mailman

Now that's funny. Sadly true, but funny.

 

[G.Gordon]

Another Obama legacy. Due to not giving COLA for most years of his presidency and artificially holding down part B premiums, we are way behind on funding the cost for it. We should be between $150-160 currently, it will be up to the new admin to "fix" this issue and if he/she blames Obama then it is rightly assigned.

 

[LostDollar]

We should be between $150-160 currently, it will be up to the new admin to "fix" this issue and if he/she blames Obama then it is rightly assigned.

It seems like I read in another thread that Medicare premiums are not considered a household expense when working with marketplace plans. Is this something else one would hope gets fixed, or is Soc Sec income also ignored in relation to marketplace plans?

 

[sshafran]

Another Obama legacy. Due to not giving COLA for most years of his presidency and artificially holding down part B premiums, we are way behind on funding the cost for it. We should be between $150-160 currently, it will be up to the new admin to "fix" this issue and if he/she blames Obama then it is rightly assigned.

Who has the guts to go in and charge a reasonable premium for part B!

If everyone got bumped to 160, would it become solvent?

I can't stand how the govt wants to "holds corporations accountable" but no one holds them accountable.

 

[kgmom219]

Who has the guts to go in and charge a reasonable premium for part B!

If everyone got bumped to 160, would it become solvent?

I can't stand how the govt wants to "holds corporations accountable" but no one holds them accountable.

The 2016 Trustees report wanted Part B increased to $149.

Which I am fine with. it only affects new enrollees, because COLA won't be that much anyway and they are already paying so much for health insurance, its certainly less then the pre-65 premium. IRMAA folks are still getting hammered.

And let's not forget...IRMAA thresholds begin getting lower in 2018, with MACRA implementation.

The days of a standard Part B premium are OVER.

 

[somarco]

IRMAA thresholds begin getting lower in 2018, with MACRA implementation.

 

[axeman462]

anybody get phone calls from clients about Part B premiums "skyrocketing" next year? just had one, because of these doom and gloom articles on internet scaring seniors.