2013 Traditional Medicare Changes
Changes to traditional Medicare rates are upon us once again as we head into 2013.
As you probably know, premiums and deductibles for both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B fluctuate from year to year. Just as you were getting used to those 2012 Medicare rates, it’s time to examine changes in Medicare copayment costs, premium increases, and other factors that may affect your senior health insurance budget in 2013.
What is traditional Medicare?
You may be more accustomed to calling it Original Medicare, but whatever you call it, traditional Medicare is composed of Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. Part A provides your basic Medicare hospital coverage, while Medicare Part B provides your basic Medicare medical coverage. Medicare Parts A and B together make up traditional, or Original, Medicare.
What are the changes to Medicare Part A in 2013?
Most Medicare Part A premiums will decrease by about $10 per month, though that increase isn’t likely to affect you. Ninety-nine percent of Medicare beneficiaries are exempt from paying the Medicare Part A premium because they paid into this amount during their working years. But if you’re in the other one percent, your Medicare Part A premiums will decrease slightly in 2013.
Other Part A changes in 2013:
The 2013 Medicare Part A deductible will be $1,184 per benefit period. This represents a $28 increase from the 2012 level.
- The cost of spending 61-90 days in the hospital will be $296 per day, which is a $7 increase. If you are in the hospital 91-150 days, the per-day Medicare Part A copayment in 2013 is $592, a $14 increase from 2012. (After 150 days, Medicare no longer helps pay for your hospital expenses.)
- After 20 days of being admitted to a skilled nursing facility, the per-day copayment for a Medicare beneficiary is $148 in 2013. This amount is a $3.50 increase from 2012.
What about 2013 Medicare Part B changes?
- For most people, the 2013 Medicare Part B premium will increase by $5 a month. In 2013 Medicare beneficiaries who earned up to $85,000 in 2011 ($170,000 if filing jointly) will pay a Medicare Part B premium of $104.90 per month, an increase of $5 from the standard $99.90 premium they paid in 2012. Visit Medicare.gov to learn 2013 Medicare Part B premium rates for people who earned higher incomes in 2011.
- The Medicare Part B 2013 deductible is $147, a $5 increase from 2012.
For the latest information about 2013 traditional Medicare changes, check out the new edition of Medicare & You, the US government’s official Medicare handbook. Medicare & You is a comprehensive, up-to-date guide to Medicare services and a valuable resource to help you understand all that Medicare has to offer.
If you have questions about senior healthcare including traditional Medicare, Medicare supplement plans, or Medicare Advantage, contact a licensed, bonded MedicareMall representative and let us lead you with confidence through the Medicare maze!
© 2012 MedicareMall.com
MedicareMall Learning Center Index