q1medicare.com
Powered by Q1Group LLC
A non-government resource for the Medicare community
Powered by Q1Group LLC
A non-government Medicare community resource
  • Menu ☰
  • Home
  • Contact
  • MAPD
  • PDP
  • 2024
  • 2025
  • FAQs
  • Articles
  • Search ⌕
  • Contact
  • 2024
  • 2025
  • FAQs
  • Articles
  • Latest Medicare News
  • Search ⌕

HHS announces: No change in 2015 Original Medicare Part B premiums, a slight decrease in Medicare Part A premiums, and no changes in Part B IRMAA payments.

Category: General Medicare
Published: Oct, 09 2014 08:10:00
< Previous
Next >
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that the standard premium for Medicare Part B (coverage for specific doctors’ services, outpatient care, medical supplies, DME, and preventive services) would remain at $104.90 the same as in 2013 and 2014.  (In October, 2012, there was a $5.00 increase in Part B premiums bringing the monthly 2013 Medicare Part B premiums up to $104.90).  According to CMS, at this time, there are almost 49 million people enrolled in Medicare Part B.

Medicare Part B Deductible:
The 2015 Medicare Part B deductible will also stay at the 2013 and 2014 levels of $147. 

The CMS / HHS press release also noted several other changes in 2015, including:

Medicare Part A Premium:
Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care, and some home health care. Only about 1 percent of people with Medicare pay a premium for Part A services.  (Most Medicare beneficiaries receive Medicare Part A automatically if they have paid Medicare payroll taxes for 40 quarters of employment or are married to someone who did pay 40 quarters of payroll taxes).

For those people who pay a Medicare Part A premium, there is good news: The 2015 Part A premium is decreasing $19 to $407 (as a comparison, the Medicare Part A premium in 2013 was $441 and $451 in 2012).

CMS further noted: "[E]nrollees age 65 and over and certain persons with disabilities who have fewer than 30 quarters of coverage pay a monthly premium in order to receive coverage under Part A.  Beneficiaries who have between 30 and 39 quarters of coverage may buy into Part A at a reduced monthly premium rate which is $224 for 2015, a decrease of $10 from 2014." 

Medicare Part A Deductible:
The Medicare Part A deductible is the cost to people with Medicare for up to 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient services in the hospitals for each benefit period (a benefit period starts the day a patient is admitted and ends when the patient has been out of the hospital for 60 days in a row.)  The 2015 Part A deductible will increase by $44 to $1,260. CMS further added: " Beneficiaries must pay an additional $315 per day for days 61 through 90 in 2015, and $630 per day for hospital stays beyond the 90th day.  For beneficiaries in skilled nursing facilities, the daily co-insurance for days 21 through 100 in a benefit period will be $157.50 in 2015, compared to $152.00 in 2014."




Medicare Part B Income-related Adjustments Amounts (IRMAA):
People with Medicare who report 2014 income above $85,000 a year ($170,000 for people filing jointly) are responsible to cover a larger portion of the cost of their Medicare Part B coverage. However the IRMAA Medicare Part B rates have not changed since 2014.

These monthly Medicare Part B premium adjustments range from an additional $42.00 to an additional $230.80 (per month).

If Your Yearly Income Is Your Monthly
Medicare Part B
Premium		 Medicare
Part B
IRMAA
File Individual Tax Return File Joint Tax Return
$85,000 or below $170,000 or below $104.90* $0.00 
$85,001 - $107,000 $170,000 - $214,000 $146.90* $42.00 
$107,001 - $160,000 $214,000 - $320,000 $209.80* $104.90 
$160,001 - $214,000 $320,000 - $428,000 $272.70*  $167.80
above $214,000 above $428,000 $335.70* $230.80 


Monthly Medicare Part B premiums for Medicare beneficiaries who are married and lived with their spouse at any time during the taxable year, but file separate tax returns, are:

Beneficiaries who are married and lived with their spouse at any time during the year, but file a separate tax return from their spouse: Medicare Part B IRMAA Medicare Part B premium amount
Less than or equal to $85,000 $0.00 $104.90
Greater than $85,000 and less than or equal to $129,000 $167.80 $272.70
Greater than $129,000 $230.80 $335.70

According to CMS, IRMAA affects less than 5% of Medicare beneficiaries or around 2,450,000 people.





News Home
< Previous   Next >




Medicare Supplements
fill the gaps in your
Original Medicare
1. Enter Your ZIP Code:
» Medicare Supplement FAQs


News Categories
Selecting Your Medicare Plan
Star Ratings & Plan Quality
Annual Medicare Plan Changes
Enrollment Topics
Late Enrollment Penalty
Your Formulary (Drug List)
Monthly Formulary Changes
Your Medicare Plan Coverage
Pharmacies & Providers
Changing Medicare Plans
Special Enrollment Periods SEP
The Donut Hole or Coverage Gap
Donut Hole Discounts
Straddle Claims and High Costs
Out of Pocket: TrOOP and MOOP
Medicaid, LIS, & Extra Help
IRMAA - for Higher Incomes
Medicare Advantage Plans MAPD
Medicare Supplements - Medigap
Medicare Plan Providers
Marketing Medicare Products
General Medicare Part D PDP
General Medicare
Diabetes and Diabetic Coverage
Your Health & Wellness
About Q1Medicare.com




© Q1Group LLC 2005 - 2024  



Tips & Disclaimers
  • Q1Medicare®, Q1Rx®, and Q1Group® are registered Service Marks of Q1Group LLC and may not be used in any advertising, publicity, or for commercial purposes without the express authorization of Q1Group.
  • The Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plan data on our site comes directly from Medicare and is subject to change.
  • Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed the information on our site.
  • We provide our Q1Medicare.com site for educational purposes and strive to present unbiased and accurate information. However, Q1Medicare is not intended as a substitute for your lawyer, doctor, healthcare provider, financial advisor, or pharmacist. For more information on your Medicare coverage, please be sure to seek legal, medical, pharmaceutical, or financial advice from a licensed professional or telephone Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.
  • We are an independent education, research, and technology company. We are not affiliated with any Medicare plan, plan carrier, healthcare provider, or insurance company. We are not compensated for Medicare plan enrollments. We do not sell leads or share your personal information.
  • Benefits, formulary, pharmacy network, provider network, premium and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year. Our PDPCompare.com and MACompare.com provide highlights of annual plan benefit changes.
  • The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information contact the plan.
  • Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply.
  • We make every effort to show all available Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plans in your service area. However, since our data is provided by Medicare, it is possible that this may not be a complete listing of plans available in your service area. For a complete listing please contact 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week or consult www.medicare.gov.
    Statement required by Medicare:
    "We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options."
  • When enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, you must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium.
  • Medicare beneficiaries with higher incomes may be required to pay both a Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). Read more on IRMAA.
  • Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage (MAPDs) are considered Medicare Part D plans and members with higher incomes may be subject to the Medicare Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), just as members in stand-alone Part D plans. In certain situations, you can appeal IRMAA.
  • You must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. Members may enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan only during specific times of the year. Contact the Medicare plan for more information.
  • If you are enrolled in a Medicare plan with Part D prescription drug coverage, you may be eligible for financial Extra Help to assist with the payment of your prescription drug premiums and drug purchases. To see if you qualify for Extra Help, call: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week or consult www.medicare.gov; the Social Security Office at 1-800-772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. TTY users should call, 1-800-325-0778; or your state Medicaid Office.
  • Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-Star rating system. Star Ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next.
  • A Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service plan (PFFS) is not a Medicare supplement plan. Providers who do not contract with the plan are not required to see you except in an emergency.
  • Disclaimer for Institutional Special Needs Plan (SNP): This plan is available to anyone with Medicare who meets the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) level of care and resides in a nursing home.
  • Disclaimer for Dual Eligible (Medicare/Medicaid) Special Needs Plan (SNP): This plan is available to anyone who has both Medical Assistance from the State and Medicare. Premiums, co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles may vary based on the level of Extra Help you receive. Please contact the plan for further details.
  • Disclaimer for Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (SNP): This plan is available to anyone with Medicare who has been diagnosed with the plan specific Chronic Condition.
  • Medicare MSA Plans combine a high deductible Medicare Advantage Plan and a trust or custodial savings account (as defined and/or approved by the IRS). The plan deposits money from Medicare into the account. You can use this money to pay for your health care costs, but only Medicare-covered expenses count toward your deductible. The amount deposited is usually less than your deductible amount, so you generally have to pay out-of-pocket before your coverage begins.
  • Medicare MSA Plans do not cover prescription drugs. If you join a Medicare MSA Plan, you can also join any separate (stand-alone) Medicare Part D prescription drug plan
  • There are additional restrictions to join an MSA plan, and enrollment is generally for a full calendar year unless you meet certain exceptions. Those who disenroll during the calendar year will owe a portion of the account deposit back to the plan. Contact the plan provider for additional information.
  • Medicare beneficiaries may enroll through the CMS Medicare Online Enrollment Center located at www.medicare.gov.
  • Medicare beneficiaries can file a complaint with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by calling 1-800-MEDICARE 24 hours a day/7 days or using the medicare.gov site. Beneficiaries can appoint a representative by submitting CMS Form-1696.
.