Flat Social Security Benefits, Medicare Premium Boosts Mean Pricey 2016 For Some
A 52 percent increase in Medicare premiums for one-third of beneficiaries could lead to a protracted battle to lessen the sting of higher rates. Elsewhere, the Tampa Bay Times looks at open enrollment in the program, and more doctors in Oregon are shunning patients who have traditional Medicare plans.
Marketplace:
Rising Medicare Premiums Mean A Big Increase For Some
Two things tend to happen every year. First, Social Security benefits rise. Second, premiums for Medicare Part B — which covers inpatient treatment, the cost of doctors and certain drugs — also rise. But what makes this such an unusual year is that Social Security benefits are flat for 2016. (Gorenstein, 10/9)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Battle Begins Against Possible Rise In Medicare Premiums
A tight year for Medicare could force millions of seniors to pay at least $650 more for the public insurance in 2016, sparking a likely showdown between policymakers and activist groups. AARP promises to fight the 52 percent increase in premiums forecast for nearly a third of Medicare Part B beneficiaries, including higher-income families and those enrolling in the program for the first time. All enrollees could see yearly deductibles climb from $147 to $223 under Part B, which covers outpatient services, emergency visits and other medical care for more than 47 million elderly and Americans with disabilities. (Smeltz, 10/11)
Tampa Bay Times:
Medicare Enrollment Period Offers A Chance To Shop For Coverage, But Many Don't
When it comes to guiding seniors through Medicare's annual open enrollment period, most experts sound a lot like Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Their oft-repeated advice: You better shop around. ... Yet, many beneficiaries are reluctant to change their health or drug plans — even if means saving money. (McGrory, 10/11)
Oregonian:
Medicare 2015: More Doctors Rejecting Original Medicare
C.J. Reynolds is grateful for the care she's received at Oregon Health & Science University. But any time she's referred outside the system, the 69-year-old Portlander crosses her fingers. "I've had a heck of a time if I go outside OHSU looking for any kind of specialist, finding a doctor who will take standard Medicare, and that's a real problem," Reynolds said. ... Nationwide, 91 percent of non-pediatric doctors say they take new Medicare patients, according to an analysis of 2012 government survey data by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based policy research organization. Only 2 percent of seniors reported problems finding a provider when they needed one. ... But Oregon doctors accepted Medicare at the lowest rate of any state in the Kaiser survey: 79 percent. (Hunsberger, 10/10)