Gov't Raises Medicare Premiums Again (AP)

[Up2Late]

(Another Friday 5:00pm action!)

Sep 16, 5:04 PM EDT

Gov't Raises Medicare Premiums Again

By KEVIN FREKING
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senior citizens and the disabled will have to pay a monthly Medicare premium of $88.50 next year for doctor's visits and other services, a $10.30 boost in the fee.

The 13.2 percent increase in premiums for Medicare Part B was in line with what government actuaries had been predicting. Even so, the Bush administration tried to lessen the pain of the announcement by touting the prescription drug benefit that begins Jan. 1.

Under the program, millions of low-income Americans will have their prescription drug costs covered almost entirely, and many other beneficiaries should see their out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs decrease.

"Next year, people on Medicare will be getting much more in benefits than they had previously received," said Herb Kuhn, director of the Center for Medicare Management, part of the Health and Human Services Department.

<http://staging.hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MEDICARE_PREMIUMS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-09-16-17-04-41>
(more at link above)

[bluestateguy]

1. Tax increase

Isn't that the Republican Noise Machine's strategy for every government fee increase:

"THAT'S A TAX INCREASE!!!"

[Up2Late]

2. Except I bet you don't here about THIS on Fox "news"

Bastards!:mad:

[raysr]

3. These fucking assholes

I can barely afford the 77 I pay now. It's gonna be as much as my wifes private insurance.

[Lori Price CLG]

4. Yes, that should really help the people in the Gulf area... ***NOT.*** n/t

[Indykatie]

5. Clarification on Rx Coverage

Medicare Part D which will cover prescription drugs is separate from Part B and is priced separately. The program will be administered by a variety of companies and is expected to cost around $32 a month.

[apollo56]

6. Hidden Pit Fall for New Drug Program

I have already received a notice from the Gov that the money I receive for the new Medicare Drug program will be counted as income and will be offset by other cuts in Gov help since it will add to my gross income. I do not receive Food Stamps but the letter did say if you receive food stamps etc, your food stamps will be reduced or stopped because of the new gross income amounts. The GOP again has hit the elderly and have not told the truth about about the new drug program. Even people who receive Medicaid will now pay a co-fee for drugs according to the notice. What a RIP off for the poor.

[napi21]

7. BUT they don't GAS about the older people! They all vote Dem!!

I think the Dems should shout this from the roof tops! Whats the deal with NO TAX INCREASES PUBS????

[progressivebydesign]

8. There's some of that Katrina money....

So, someone was right. They are putting the cost of Katrina on the backs of people that can ill afford it. Rather than repealing the fucking tax cuts for the wealthiest in America. Reinstate the estate tax and there's a lot of money right there, AND it only affects THREE THOUSAND families in America. That tells you how rich you have to be to benefit from it.

[WePurrsevere]

9. Wonder how much they'll give us for COLA? Congress will tout their...

generous :sarcasm: 2._% increase loudly (*IF*) we're lucky enough to get that much), just as they did last year and the year before, to cover up the fact that all or most has been zapped away already by the increase in Medicaire costs. All this means is that neither seniors nor the disabled will see any REAL increase and yet our costs for NEEDED items most certainly has and for some of us in the North country with oil/gas for heat it's going to be a very long and cold Winter.

[Robeson]

10. Hey, we got to get that next round of tax cuts in for the wealthiest one..

...percent. I mean, heck, someone's got to pay for it. Right? :sarcasm:

[WhiteTara]

11. no problem for my 81 year old mother

who lives on a very fixed income. She'll just give up something else. Wonder what Barbara Bush will have to give up to keep her medical insurance?

[meow2u3]

12. My state pays my Medicare premium

That gives me the extra money I need to take care of my cat. I have to apply for it every year, but it's worth the hassle.

For those whose income falls below 120% of poverty level, it's worth the trouble to go to your local welfare office and apply for this benefit.

[rodeodance]

13. Premium for Basic Medicare Increasing 13% Next Year (Fri news dump)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/17/national/17medicare.html?th&emc=th


September 17, 2005
Premium for Basic Medicare Increasing 13% Next Year

By ROBERT PEAR
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 - The Bush administration announced on Friday that the basic Medicare premium would shoot up next year 13 percent, to $88.50 a month, mainly because of the increased use of doctors' services.

Many beneficiaries will pay an additional premium for the new prescription drug benefit, expected to average $32 a month. So the combined premiums for doctors' services, outpatient hospital care and prescription drugs will average slightly more than $120 a month.

Medicare provides coverage for 42 million people who are 65 and older or disabled. In most cases, Medicare premiums are deducted from monthly Social Security checks. The average monthly Social Security benefit for retired workers is $955 this year. The amount for 2006 will be announced next month and will probably approach $1,000.

Kirsten A. Sloan, a health policy analyst at AARP, the big lobby for older Americans, noted that the basic Medicare premium was increasing by nearly $30 a month, or 51 percent, from 2003 to 2006.

[rodeodance]

14. I agree, we need cuts in the premium--NOT increases!

....."With home heating prices expected to rise this winter, many seniors will find it very hard to absorb the higher premium" in 2006, Mr. Bingaman said Friday. "Rather than charging higher premiums, I would like to see deep cuts in the overpayments to H.M.O.'s.".......

[TallahasseeGrannie]

15. Yikes

My regular health ins. had a hike, too. I was hoping it would calm down when I got to Medicare.

[fshrink]

16. Privatize the profits, publicize the losses. nt