The standard Medicare Part B monthly premium will be $96.40 in 2009. The standard Part B premium will be the same as it was in 2008.
The Medicare Part B premium amounts for 2009 are determined by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The premiums paid by beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part B cover physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment and other items. For most beneficiaries, the government pays a substantial portion-75 percent-of the Part B standard premium and the beneficiary pays the remaining 25 percent.
Most beneficiaries will continue to pay the standard premium. Since 2007, higher income beneficiaries have been paying a larger percentage of their Part B premium based on income they reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In 2009, a small number of beneficiaries with higher incomes (individuals with income exceeding $85,000 and married couples with income exceeding $170,000) will pay a monthly premium equal to 35, 50, 65 or 80 percent of the total cost, depending on what they reported to the IRS. However, the law affects less than 5 percent of Medicare beneficiaries, so most people will continue to pay the standard premium without an income-related adjustment. For information on the increase for other income levels, see "Medicare Part B Monthly Premiums in 2009", a FAQ on the Medicare website.
For more information, see Social Security's publication, Medicare Part B Premiums: New Rules For Beneficiaries With Higher Incomes, call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visit your local Social Security office.
More information about Medicare can be found at www.medicare.gov.
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