Is this true? Ouch!! No attribution given.

[Paper Roses]

Subject: FW: Medicare

Received from a relative today:

For those of you who are on Medicare, read the article below.
It is about the monthly amount of money you are going to pay into Medicare in 2011, 2012 and the huge increase you will pay in 2013. It's a short important article: You will pay it.

Social Security
Congress will not allow an increase in the social security COLA (cost of living adjustment). However, the per person monthly Medicare insurance premium will be increased from the 2009 premium of $96.40 to $104.20 in 2010, $120.20 for the year 2011 and yearly increases to a wonderful $247.00 in 2014.

Thank You Obamacare!

Congress also gave themselves a $3,000 a month Cost of Living Adjustment!

Send this to all seniors that you know.


REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER 2012

[dmr]

1. It can't be true. I'm not paying 120.20 a month for year 2011

Looks like one of those RW tricks they're so famous for.

:hi:

[RebelOne]

14. I am only paying $110 monthly and have been for the past 7 years. n/t

[Suich]

2. What a bunch of nonsense! n/t

[freshwest]

3. The 'Obamacare' reference is a RW term. Try Snopes, the SS or WH websites.

Remember in November 2012 is a Tea Party slogan, as well.

You may want to argue, but I suspect your relative has gone around the bend to the point of no return.

There are threads about what Paul Ryan is doing to Medicare.

There is no such thing as 'Obamacare' except as parroted by ignorant Tea Partiers.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

4. Anytime I see the word

"Obamacare" that tells me all I need to know. I'm willing to bet this is hogwash as my dear old mother used to say.......... :toast:

[SheilaT]

5. Snopes is your friend.

Each and every time you receive an email that promises Something Terrible Has Happened and It's All the Fault of Those Darn Liberals, or even just breathlessly announces something bad and tells you that you need to forward it to everyone you know, I PROMISE you that it's some kind of urban legend and probably totally untrue.

Always, always, always (I cannot repeat it enough times) go directly to snopes.com and check out the rumor.

This one is debunked there: http://www.snopes.com/politics/socialsecurity/cola.asp

The other clue that the email is just crap, is that there's no support for whatever information is contained therein.

Oh, and since these are always a mass-emailing to everyone in the sender's mailbox, I strongly recommend a "Reply All" and the link to the snopes page.

[safeinOhio]

6. Always hit the "reply all" button when you

send a snopes article. It goes to everyone that got the email. I've done that to all right wing bull crap emails and stopped getting them. They hate it when all their right wing friends get pissed at them.

[WhiteTara]

7. My honey pays less than 100 for part A

currently. I think this is another of "those" emails.

[mysuzuki2]

8. the numbers are wrong

the basic premium is, I believe $115.40 for part b. People with high incomes can pay more. BUT, there is a rule that states the net amount of the SS payment cannot be reduced due to premium increases. So, when there is no COLA, there is no premium increase for those already on SS/medicare. This means in effect that different people are now paying different premiums.

[murphyj87]

9. You have to actually PAY for Medicare? Even when you receive it?

What a ridiculous money grabbing nation you live in. You should have moved to Canada. I get exactly the same health care as any Canadian of any age, including my Member of Parliament and the Premier of my Province, with not a cent of out of pocket costs. BTW our Canada Pension and Old Age Security always has a COLA, as does my company pension. No wonder Canadians always avoid the US like the plague. The US IS a plague. I pity you.

[Zoigal]

12. Oh yes, we do pay...

Between my husband and i we pay monthly $525 for Medicare part A, $193 for the
part B plus between $350-$500 out of pocket for our share of medication
that is prescribed. That doesn't include the out of pocket deductible
that we pay our MDs or any dental work. Not complaining because many folks
have it worse. Enjoy your health care system...it is one of the better ones
in the world to my knowledge.....z

[Philippine expat]

13. Medicare has 4 parts, a,b,c, & d

Part a is hospitalization insurance, for most people it is free as money was with held from your paycheck
Part b is for outpatient services.office visits, cost x dollars per month and is what the OP was referring to
Part c or Medicare Advantage is basically an insurance program
Part d is the drug benefit
Any or all can be declined

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Another anonymous chain email, easily debunked by Snopes.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/socialsecurity/cola.asp

[jtown1123]

11. Nonsense. Red flags is that Congress doesn't decide COLA. It's based on a formula.

[damnproudcrat]

15. Medicare payment amount is wrong!

2011 charge for Part B Medicare is $115.00 per month. Parts C and D vary according to the carrier YOU select. Obama care has nothing to do with the Medicare rate in 2011. We need to pray that eliminating pre-existing conditions remains part of the Health Care plan...MANY ppl need it desperately. Did you know that there is absolutely NO MEDICAL INSURANCE available to ppl 65 and older except Medicare and its supplements? That is something to think about when you downgrade and complain about the health care plan!!!