health Premiums will hold steady for Medicare recipients in 2017 The majority of Medicare Part B recipients will see their premiums hold steady in 2017, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment and other items. On Oct. 18, the Social Security Administration announced that the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security benefi ts will be 0.3 percent for 2017. Because of the low Social Security COLA, a statutory “hold harmless” provision designed to protect seniors, will largely prevent Part B premiums from increasing for about 70 percent of benefi ciaries. Among this group, the average 2017 premium will be about $109.00, compared to $104.90 for the past four years. For the remaining roughly 30 percent of benefi ciaries, the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B will be $134.00 for 2017, a 10 percent increase from the 2016 premium of $121.80. Because of the “hold harmless” provision covering the other 70 percent of benefi ciaries, premiums for the remaining 30 percent must cover most of the increase in Medicare costs for 2017 for all benefi ciaries. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will work with Congress as it explores budgetneutral solutions to challenges created by the “hold harmless” provision. “Medicare’s top priority is to ensure that beneficiaries have affordable access to the care they need,” said CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt. “We will continue our efforts to improve affordability, access and quality in Medicare.” Medicare Part B beneficiaries not subject to the “hold harmless” provision include beneficiaries who do not receive Social Security benefits, those who enroll in Part B for the first time in 2017, those who are directly billed for their Part B premium, those who are dually eligible for Medicaid and have their premium paid by state Medicaid agencies, and those who pay an incomerelated premium. These groups represent approximately 30 percent of total Part B beneficiaries. CMS also announced that the annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries will be $183 in 2017 (compared to $166 in 2016). Premiums and deductibles for Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans are already finalized and are unaffected by this announcement. Since 2007, beneficiaries with higher incomes have paid higher Medicare Part B monthly premiums. These income-related monthly premium rates affect roughly 5 percent of people with Medicare. Medicare Part A Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility, and some home health care services. About 99 percent of Medicare beneficiaries do not have a Part A premium since they have at least 40 quarters of Medicare-covered employment. The Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible that beneficiaries pay when admitted to the hospital will be $1,316 per benefit period in 2017, an increase of $28 from $1,288 in 2016. The Part A deductible covers beneficiaries’ share of costs for the first 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient hospital care in a benefit period. Beneficiaries must pay a coinsurance amount of $329 per day for the 61st through 90th day of hospitalization ($322 in 2016) in a benefit period and $658 per day for lifetime reserve days ($644 in 2016). For beneficiaries in skilled nursing facilities, the daily coinsurance for days 21 through 100 of extended care services in a benefit period will be $164.50 in 2017 ($161 in 2016). For more information, visit www.medicare.gov. F R E E Electronic Waste Recycling Event It’s illegal to discard electronics in the trash — avoid a $100 ne! Saturday, Dec 3, 2016 10am - 4pm Rain or Shine Springeld Gardens Intermediate School 59/IS 59 Springeld Blvd between Merrick Blvd & 133rd Avenue For more information contact the Lower East Side Ecology Center at [email protected] or 212.477.4022 We would like to thank the Springeld Gardens Intermediate School for hosting this event and our sponsor: We Accept: Working and non-working computers, monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, cables, TVs (all sizes), VCR & DVD players, phones, audio/visual equipment, video games and cell phones
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