Next year’s standard Medicare Part B monthly premium and deductible – which covers durable medical equipment items, among other services – will remain the same as the last 2 years, according to an announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services.
“Thanks to slower health care cost growth within Medicare since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, next year’s Medicare Part B monthly premium will remain unchanged for the second consecutive year,” Sylvia Burwell, secretary of Health and Human Services, stated in a news release.
For the approximately 49 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Part B, premiums and deductibles will remain at $104.90 and $147, respectively. According to the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, as compared to Congressional Budget Office projections for 2015 made in 2009, premiums will be more than $125 lower during the course of a year.
“The stabilization of Part B premiums is another example of how we are containing health care costs to provide a more sustainable and affordable health delivery system. The administration has taken important steps to improve the quality of care while keeping the cost of Medicare premiums and deductibles the same,” Marilyn Tavenner, CMS administrator, stated in the release.
