Summary of changes to Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles:
- Increase in SS Benefits. The 2018 Social Security benefits cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be 2.2 percent - meaning that Social Security benefits will increase on an average of about $28 per month (you may notice more or less of a change depending on the amount of your Social Security benefit).
- Increase in Part B Premiums. Taking into account the 2.2% COLA, 70% of the 52 million Medicare Part B beneficiaries will effectively continue to pay their 2017 Medicare Part B premium for 2018 (with the Part B premium increasing from $109 in 2017 to an average of $130 in 2018). People receiving higher Social Security benefits will see Medicare Part B premiums over $130 and people receiving lower-than-average benefits will see Medicare Part B premiums between $109 and $130.
- Higher Increase of Part B Premiums for Many. The other 30% of the Medicare Part B beneficiaries see a 2018 Medicare Part B premium of $134, the same as 2017.
- 2018 Part B Deductible. The 2018 Medicare Part B deductible will remain $183, the same as 2017.
- Higher Part B Premiums for High-Earners: People with higher incomes will pay more for their Medicare Part B coverage. Along with higher Part B premiums, the Part B Income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) will increase for individuals earning over $85,000 or couples earning over $170,000. To learn more, see our article: 2018 IRMAA: 35% to 58% Medicare Part D IRMAA payment increases for individual earning incomes between $133,500 - $214,000 and couples earning $267,000 - $428,000.
- Higher 2018 Medicare Part A Deductible. The 2018 Medicare Part A deductible will increase to $1,340 from the 2017 deductible of $1,310.
In mid-November, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 2018 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for the Medicare Part A and Part B programs.
Medicare Part B Premiums/Deductibles
Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and other items.
The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $134 for 2018, the same amount as in 2017. Some beneficiaries who were held harmless against Part B premium increases in prior years will have a Part B premium increase in 2018, but the premium increase will be offset by the increase in their Social Security benefits next year.
“Medicare’s top priority is to ensure that beneficiaries have choices for affordable, high-quality care that fit their needs,” said CMS Administrator Seema Verma. “Next year, no beneficiary protected by the hold-harmless provision will see a Part B premium increase that is greater than the increase in their Social Security benefits. We encourage Medicare beneficiaries to explore their options to make an informed choice between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage before Open Enrollment ends on December 7.”
CMS recently released the benefit, premium, and Star Ratings information for Medicare health and drug plans which shows that there will be more health coverage choices, improved access to high-quality health choices, and decreased premiums in 2018. CMS estimates that the Medicare Advantage average monthly premium will decrease by $1.91 (about 6 percent) in 2018, from an average of $31.91 in 2017 to $30. More than three-fourths (77 percent) of Medicare Advantage enrollees remaining in their current plan will have the same or lower premium for 2018. The average basic premium for a Medicare prescription drug plan in 2018 is projected to decline to an estimated $33.50 per month. This represents a decrease of approximately $1.20 below the average basic premium of $34.70 in 2017. The Medicare prescription drug plan average basic premium is projected to decline for the first time since 2012.
CMS also announced that the annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries will be $183 in 2018, the same annual deductible in 2017. Premiums and deductibles for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug plans are already finalized and are unaffected by this announcement.
Medicare Part A Premiums/Deductibles
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 annual inpatient hospital deductible that beneficiaries pay when admitted to the hospital will be $1,340 per benefit period in 2018, an increase of $24 from $1,316 in 2017.
For a fact sheet on the 2018 Medicare Parts A & B premiums and deductibles, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/ Newsroom/ MediaReleaseDatabase/ Fact-sheets/ 2017-Fact-Sheet-items/ 2017-11-17.html.
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