Medicare helps seniors cover healthcare costs, but it isn't free. In fact, you have to pay both premiums and deductibles when you're covered by Medicare. And, unfortunately for seniors, these costs are going up in 2020.
How much more will your Medicare costs be? Read on to find out.
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Medicare costs are rising in 2020
Medicare consists of:
- Part A, which provides hospital coverage
- Part B, which provides coverage for outpatient care
- Part C, which is an alternative to Part A and B offered by private insurers contracted with Medicare
- Part D, which covers prescription drug costs.
Costs are rising in 2020 for both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.
Because Medicare Parts C and D are offered by private insurers, there's wide variation in prices for these plans. To see how much more you'll pay for Parts C and D, you'd need to check with individual insurers -- but keep in mind that costs tend to rise from year to year.
How much are Medicare Part A costs going up?
Most people get Medicare Part A premium-free but pay a deductible as well as coinsurance costs for long hospital or nursing home stays. Both the deductible and coinsurance costs are rising in 2020.
|
2019 Cost |
2020 Cost |
Increase |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Deductible |
$1,364 |
$1,408 |
$44 |
|
Hospital co-insurance costs (days 61-90) |
$341 per day |
$352 per day |
$11 |
|
Hospital co-insurance costs for lifetime reserve days (91-plus days) |
$682 per day |
$704 per day |
$22 |
|
Skilled nursing facility co-insurance costs (21-100 days) |
$170.50 per day |
$176 per day |
$5.50 |
Once you've been in the hospital for more than 90 days, you have to use lifetime reserve days to have further care covered. You get just 60 of those during your lifetime. If you use up your lifetime reserve days and are still in the hospital, you are responsible for all costs. These rules are the same as they were in 2019.
How much are Medicare Part B costs going up?
Medicare Part B covers outpatient care. You have to pay monthly premiums for this coverage.
The standard monthly premium in 2020 will be $144.60. This is an increase of $9.10 compared to 2019, when premiums were $135.50. Higher premiums are charged to those with incomes above $87,000 for single filers or $174,000 for joint filers in 2020.
The Medicare Part B deductible is also going up to $198 from $185. This is a $13 increase.
So, how much more will you pay for Medicare in 2020?
The extra costs you'll incur for Medicare in 2020 depend on the services you use.
If you don't get any care in 2020, your extra costs would be limited to the additional $9.10 per month for Medicare Part B -- assuming you pay the standard premium. But if you get care, you can expect to pay a slightly higher deductible, as well as higher per-day coinsurance costs for long hospital or nursing home stays.
Most people who get Medicare Part B have their premiums withdrawn directly from their Social Security checks. Thanks to a cost of living increase, Social Security benefits are going up 1.6% in 2020. This means you're unlikely to notice the rise in premiums since they'll just make the amount of your Social Security raise a little smaller.
