Inflation data through April suggests that the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2020 could be very low, perhaps 1.2%. Even though Social Security recipients received the highest COLA since 2012 this year —2.8 ...
Category: Medicare Part B Articles
What Striking Down Obamacare Could Mean For Medicare
The recent decision by a federal judge in Texas to declare Obamacare unconstitutional is likely to become the center of a lengthy legal battle that could reach the Supreme Court. If the decision to strike down Obamacare ...
President Announces Plan to Tie Drug Prices to Prices Paid In Other Industrialized Countries — Will it Work?
By Mary Johnson, editor President Trump recently announced a new proposal to bring down the cost of certain expensive Part B prescription drugs. The plan is meeting with skepticism from leading health policy experts, ...
When Your Cost-of-Living Adjustment is Completely Taken by Your Part B Premium
By Mary Johnson, editor Danette D., a retiree living in Missouri, is looking forward to finally seeing a boost in her Social Security benefits in the New Year, due to a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2019. ...
Benefit Bulletin: December 2018
If You Can’t Afford Your Medicare Part B Costs, Apply for a Medicare Savings Program The Medicare Part B premium for doctors and hospital outpatient care is one of the most misunderstood expenses that retirees have. ...
How the Medicare Part B Premium Increase Will Affect Benefits in 2019
The Social Security Administration recently announced that the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will raise benefits by 2.8% for 2019. The average retirement benefit of $1,400 will increase by $39.20 per month, to ...
Benefit Bulletin: April 2018
Easier Said Than Done: Public Unconvinced That Medicaid Spending Should Be Cut By Chairman Art "Coop" Cooper About one in five older and disabled Medicare beneficiaries has income so low that their state Medicaid p ...
Medicare Part B Increase Will Consume Retirees’ Entire COLA
(Washington, DC) – Despite receiving the largest Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) in five years, the majority of retired and disabled beneficiaries will not see any increase in their net Social Security b ...
How Much of Your Social Security Will You Spend on Medicare Costs?
Medicare Trustees recently said that in 2017, Medicare Part B and Part D premiums and out-of-pocket costs would take about one-fourth of the average Social Security benefits. A recent survey by TSCL indicates that a subs ...
Three Ways An Obamacare Repeal Would Affect Medicare
The new President and Congress are working to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) — more commonly known as Obamacare. The healthcare law included many provisions that affect Medicare and the 57 million retired and ...