March 2017
Volume 23 Number 10
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Take time to review Medicare costs for 2017 Anyone on Medicare knows that its health insurance comes with significant costsharing premiums, deductibles, co-insurance and copays, and that these costs change from one year to the next. Following is a review of Medicare costs in 2017. Medicare Part A Part A is the hospital benefit of Medicare that covers inpatient hospital care, care in a skilled nursing facility (up to 100 days), some home health care, and hospice services. Most people do
not pay a premium for Part A (because they, or their spouse, have paid Medicare taxes while working). In 2017, the Part A hospital deductible is $1,316 per spell of illness. If someone is in the hospital longer than 60 days, their cost sharing will be: $329/day for days 61-90 and $658/day for days 91-150. Beneficiaries in a skilled nursing facility that accepts Medicare pay no cost for Medicare-covered care for the first 20 days. Medicare can cover up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care,
but the beneficiary has a $164.50 per day co-pay for days 21 through 100. Medicare Part B Part B is the medical benefit of Medicare covering outpatient care like doctor visits, outpatient hospital services, diagnostic tests, ambulance services, durable medical equipment and mental health services. Everyone on Medicare is
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2017 King Features Syndicate, Inc.