Another Great Year on the Horizon for Medicare Premiums Thanks to the ACA
From HHS:
2015 Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles to remain the same as last two years… For the approximately 49 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Part B, premiums and deductibles will remain unchanged in 2015 at $104.90 and $147, respectively. This leaves more of seniors' cost of living adjustment from Social Security in their pockets.
Over the past four years, per capita Medicare spending growth has averaged 0.8 percent annually, much lower than the 3.1 percent annual increase in per capita GDP over the same period.
The Medicare Part B premium skyrocketed by 112 percent between 2000 and 2008 – undermining financial and health security. Now, under the ACA, the Medicare Part B premium is remaining unchanged for three straight years. Today's announcement adds to the growing list of ways in which seniors in Medicare have seen major savings, better benefits, and a more solvent program since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act:
- Since the ACA was enacted, more than 8.3 million seniors in Medicare have saved more than $12 billion on their prescription drugs, an average savings of $1,443 per senior.
- Due to the ACA, seniors now have free Medicare coverage of key preventive services, such as mammograms and colonoscopies. 37 million seniors received free preventive services under Medicare in 2013 alone.
- Since the enactment of the ACA, the life of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended by 13 years.
Republicans, it's time to end your repealing, undermining and government shut down tactics.