10 North Shore Towers Courier n December 2016 MEDICARE CORNER Important Medicare 2017 Information BY FELICE HANNAH NOTE: Persons with retiree health coverage should check with their Human Resource and/or Benefits Administrator before making any changes in their health care or prescription drug coverage. In some cases, if you drop your employee health coverage you may not be able to get it back and may also lose your retiree benefits. Employee health coverage open enrollment periods for making changes in your health or prescription drug coverage may differ from the Annual Fall Open Enrollment Period. REMINDER: Annual Fall Open Enrollment Period ends December 7th. Changes made on or before December 7th will become effective January 1st. Review the plan’s Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) sent to you by your plan before or during September. This important information provides notification of the plan’s changes in cost sharing, coverage and formulary changes in the next calendar year. If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you will have one more chance during January 1st –February 14th to make changes. New coverage will begin March 1st. During this period, you can drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and switch to Original Medicare. You will have until February 14th to enroll in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. NOTE: During January 1st – February 14th you CANNOT: Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan Switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another Switch from one Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another Exceptions for dropping, adding or switching a Medicare Advantage Plan is during Special Enrollment periods. Some qualifying examples for Special Enrollment are: You have Medicaid You are receiving Extra Help (see pages 97-99 “Medicare & You 2017”) You move out of the coverage area MEDICARE COST SHARING 2017 NOTE: If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan or receive retiree health coverage, your cost sharing may be different. Check with your plan or Human Resource Administrator. PART A Deductible for each benefit period: $1,316 Days 1-60: $0 Days 61-90: $329 per benefit period Days 91 and up to “lifetime reserve days”: $658 Beyond lifetime reserve days: all costs PART B PREMIUM AND DEDUCTIBLE 2017 Part B Deductible: $183 Part B Standard Monthly Premium: $134 NOTE: If you are currently enrolled in Medicare and receiving social security benefits, you may pay less than the standard amount because the standard premium increased more than the cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 2017. Social Security will send you a Benefits Statement with the amount you will pay. You will pay the 2017 Part B Standard Premium if: You enroll for the first time in Part B in 2017 You are not receiving Social Security benefits Your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) reported in 2015 on your IRS tax return is above a certain amount You are receiving Low Income Subsidy and Medicaid pays your premium. The state will pay the standard monthly premium of $134 PART B STANDARD AND INCOME RELATED MAXIMUM ADJUSTED AMOUNT PREMIUM (IRMAA) If your annual income in 2015 was: File individual tax return file joint tax return File married You pay monthly & separate tax return $85,000 or less $170,000 or less $85,000 or less $134 Above $85,000 Above $170,000 Not Applicable $187.50 up to $107,000 up to $214,000 Above $107,000 Above $214,000 Not Applicable $267.90 up to $160,000 up to $320,000 Above $160,00 Above $320,000 Above $85,000 $348.30 up to $214,000 up to $428,000 and up to $129,000 Above $214,000 Above $428,000 Above $129,000 $428.60 PART D INCOME RELATED MAXIMUM ADJUSTED AMOUNT (IRMAA) YOUR ANNUAL INCOME IN 2015 WAS This amount is in addition to your monthly premiums. You are required to pay this amount: File Individual Tax Return file joint tax return File married You pay monthly & separate tax returns $85,000 or less $170,000 or less $85,000 or less Your Plan Premium Above $85,000 up to Above $170,000 up Not Applicable $13.30 + your plan premium $107.000 to $214,000 Above $107,000 up to Above $214,000 up Not Applicable $34.20 + your plan premium $160,000 to $320,000 Above $160,000 up to Above $320,000 up Above $85,000 $55.20 + your plan premium $214,000 to $428,000 up to $129,000 Above $214,000 Above $428,000 Above $129,000 $76.20 + your plan premium PHYSICAL THERAPY/OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY/SPEECH–LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY SERVICES THERAPY CAPS $1980 for physical therapy (PT) and speech–language pathology services (SLP) combined. $1980 for occupational therapy services (OT). EXCEPTION “Threshold Limits”: $3,700 for PT and SLP combined. $3,700 for OT.
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