Medicare Part B Cost, 2018

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A couple of weeks ago, I called Social Security to ask about Medicare Part B premium cost in 2018. They said the figure hadn't been set yet.

Does anyone here know if it's since been determined?

I'm guessing it'll about cancel out the 2% raise I got from Social Security...

I hate to call back. I was on hold for an hour. Maybe someone here has news?
 
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced Medicare Part B premiums for 2018, and the base premium stays the same as this year at $134 a month, but a lot actually changes. For 70% of Social Security recipients who have been paying an artificially low $109 a month, they’ll see a big jump to the $134 a month level.

I found this online. So they are just wiping out the 2% increase for everyone.
 
Jim1392 said:
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced Medicare Part B premiums for 2018, and the base premium stays the same as this year at $134 a month, but a lot actually changes. For 70% of Social Security recipients who have been paying an artificially low $109 a month, they’ll see a big jump to the $134 a month level.

I found this online. So they are just wiping out the 2% increase for everyone.
Click to expand...


If that's the case, they just more than wiped out my SS increase!
 
Get used to it. Based upon what Speaker Ryan has said there are more cuts in Social Security being planned for 2018 to reduce the deficit increase under the pending tax law.

I
Since retiring from the Corps in ‘89 I never used any VA medical benefits after Iraq 2. I could afford insurance and I did not want to tax an underfunded system when so many injured warriors needed so much after service care. But If the erosion of my retirement income continues I will have to go back to supplementing my Medicare with VA medical benefits.
 
richardw said:
Get used to it. Based upon what Speaker Ryan has said there are more cuts in Social Security being planned for 2018 to reduce the deficit increase under the pending tax law.

I
Since retiring from the Corps in ‘89 I never used any VA medical benefits after Iraq 2. I could afford insurance and I did not want to tax an underfunded system when so many injured warriors needed so much after service care. But If the erosion of my retirement income continues I will have to go back to supplementing my Medicare with VA medical benefits.
Click to expand...

I'm so sorry to hear that. I suspect that many of our vets will be impacted, possibly including me. And I have used VA facilities until I got some insurance I can afford. I hope your VA hospital is better than mine.
 
Last year, the Part B increase wiped out my VERY small SS increase, with the net result that there was no change to the SS amount I drew this year.

You'll be told of this year's disappointment whenever SS gets around to it.

John
 
I enrolled in the VA system when I got divorced in 93.
All ways had great great ins thru the union. Dental,eyeglasses you name it.
Since I retired early (2008) I lost it and used the VA. Just once a year checkups and lately meds.
Got the letter yesterday about the SS increase.
I hate thinking about having to enroll in that Part B soon.
 
Since this is was the first yr I drew SS and am just now eligible for Medicare Jan. 1st, I haven't had the experience of paying part B. I just received my update for 2018 and see the net result of the 2% increase vs the $134 part B. Having had no insurance since April 2014 this is not a bad thing for my situation. 2019 may be a different story.
 
The way I understand it the cost of Part B is $134. If you pay less than that then every cost of living (COL) increase will go to your Part B until you're paying $134. That's the way it worked for my wife and me. For 2018 all of her SS COL increase went towards Part B and will next year until she is paying $134. For me, with the 2018 increase, I'll see $39, $23 of that is going to Part B to reach $134 and I'll see an extra $16 in my pocket.
 
Wife got a letter from SS last week. Her increase was offset by the Medicare increase. Next year she gets the same as she got this year.

Don't know why I didn't get a similar letter.
 
I guess that I should consider myself lucky. I just got my SS Statement for next year and I have netted $4.50 to the plus side......:eek:
 
Just checked my letter.
On Jan 1, I’m paying $187 for my Part B.
I’m in an Advantage Plan with a local Medical group which has hospitals, clinics, etc.
Until I hear otherwise, I think this is as good as it gets.
Does anybody know of a cheaper way to get Medical ?
 
deadin said:
I guess that I should consider myself lucky. I just got my SS Statement for next year and I have netted $4.50 to the plus side......:eek:
Click to expand...


Yes you are lucky. :)
Last year they cut mine and the wife's benefits :mad:
and I'll bet a dollar to a donut they'll cut them again this year. :(
Time will tell.
 
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