The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have announced that the 2018 premium for Part B of Medicare will remain at $134 a month. But even with no change, millions of Social Security recipients could pay sharply higher Part B premiums that will eat up all or most of next year’s 2 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security.
The reason this change can impact current recipients is complex, but basically for those who pay less than $134.00 each month currently for Part B, that rate can increase up to the $134.00 using the 2% Social Security raise to fund the increase.
Here are other important 2018 benchmark numbers announced by CMS:
- The Part B annual deductible will be unchanged at $183.
- The Part A annual deductible will increase by $24 to $1,340 from $1,316. There is a separate deductible for each hospital stay, usually defined as being separated by at least 60 days during a calendar year.
- The Part A coinsurance charge for hospitalizations lasting from 61 to 90 days will rise by $6 to $335 a day in a benefit period; for lifetime reserve days linked to longer stays, it will rise $12 to $670 a day. The coinsurance charge for skilled nursing facility stays lasting from 21 to 100 days in a benefit period will increase by $3 to $167.50.