News: Medicare announces 2009 deductibles, premiums
CMS announced last week that the 2009 monthly premium for Medicare Part B will stay at $96.40, the same as it was in 2008. It’s the first year since 2000 there was no increase in the standard premium from the previous year.
According to CMS, the standard Medicare Part B premium is set to cover one-fourth of the average cost of medical services incurred by beneficiaries over age 65. Even though medical expenses for the beneficiaries are expected to increase in 2009, the premium was not increased because the Supplementary Medical Insurance trust fund, from which the Part B expenditures are drawn, is expected to be at a higher than adequate level at the end of 2008.
In contrast, Part A beneficiaries will see a jump in costs. While 99% of them do not pay a monthly premium, the cost of the Part A deductible will rise $44 for 2009, from $1,024 to $1,068. The deductible covers up to 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient hospital care within a benefit period. After 60 days in 2009, Part A beneficiaries must pay an additional $267 per day for days 61-90, and $534 per day for more than 90 days. These costs are up from the prices in 2008, which were $256 and $512, respectively.
Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
« Federal judge dismisses $15M false claims case | Home | News: Jury convicts Los Angeles DME provider of Medicare fraud »
Leave a Comment