Changes in 2018 Medicare Costs

CHANGES AHEAD

We, at Claeys Group Insurance, would like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year. With the new year comes hopes, dreams, and changes for the individual.

However, when speaking of Medicare, the new year may not bring hopes and dreams, but it will certainly bring changes. These changes include increases in Medicare deductibles, copays, and premium. If you are on Medicare, these changes could be significant for you and will be good for you to know—if, simply, to amaze your friends and family with your knowledge.

2018 MEDICARE PART A CHANGES

To begin, the Medicare Part A deductible has increased for 2018. But before we can understand what the increase means for you, we need to, first, understand what Medicare Part A is.

Medicare Part A provides coverage for hospitalization, hospice, home health, and skilled nursing. (For more specifics on this coverage, see How Does Medicare Work?) If you have Original Medicare without a supplement, that Medicare Part A deductible means that if you enter the hospital, you will pay a deductible of $1,340. This deductible applies for each benefit period hospitalization of days 1-60.
For 2018, the Medicare Part A deductible has been raised from the 2017 deductible of $1,316. That is change number one for 2018.
Change number two concerns the Medicare Part A copays. If, for example, you are hospitalized for an extended period, you will pay a per-day copay of $335 for days 61 – 90, which is an increase from the 2017 copay of $329. However, Medicare also covers hospitalization for days 91 – 150, but that experience comes with a 2018 copay of $670 for each day, while the 2017 per-day copay for that period was $658. (If your head is swirling in an attempt to grasp all of those numbers, hang in there, we will summarize with an easy-to-follow chart soon.)

2018 MEDICARE PART B CHANGES

Medicare Part B, which covers medical insurance (including doctor charges, outpatient medical [such as labs, tests, x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and durable medical equipment], preventive services, and ambulance [among other things]), has its own deductible. This deductible, unlike the Part A deductible, is an annual deductible. For 2018, that deductible remains the same as it was for 2017—$183.
After meeting the Part B deductible, the individual with Original Medicare (without a supplement) will pay 20% of the remainder of his Part B costs for the rest of the calendar year. This remains the same as in 2017.

OVERVIEW OF 2018 MEDICARE CHANGES

To see these differences more clearly, see the chart below:

Year 2017 2018
Medicare Part A
Deductible (Days 1- 60) $1,316 $1,340
Copay: Days 61 – 90 $329 $335
Copay: Days 91 – 150 $658 $670
Medicare Part B
Deductible $183 $183
Copay 20% 20%

2018 MEDICARE PART B PREMIUM

While there are changes for 2018, not everything is changing. For example, the Medicare Part B monthly premium will remain at $134. (However, anyone enrolling onto Medicare Part B prior to 2016 has been grandfathered at a lower monthly premium.)

WHAT THESE CHANGES MEAN FOR YOU

So, what do these changes mean for you? If you have a Plan F Medicare supplement, none of the Part A and Part B changes (outside of the premium) will affect you, as you will still have zero out of pocket for hospitalization and other medical charges (including doctor charges). If you possess a Plan G supplement, your annual deductible will remain at $183, while other supplements will change according to their gaps in coverage. (To discover which Medicare supplement is best for you, see the article appropriately entitled Which Supplement Is Best for You?)
If you have Original Medicare, you will be directly affected by each of the changes for 2018. However, if you possess a Medicare Advantage Plan, these changes will not directly affect you, but they WILL affect Advantage Plans going forward. (If you possess a Medicare Advantage Plan, you may be interested in Keys to Your Best Medicare Advantage Plan.)

HOPE FOR GOOD CHANGES AHEAD FOR YOU

Changes are expected, and Medicare does not disappoint, as it offers changes each year. But, hopefully, any other change you experience in 2018 will be for your very best. We at Claeys Group wish that for you.


Marsha AllenMarsha Allen
16:55 24 Oct 23
My experience with John was definitely 5 Star! He explained everything thoroughly, and simply. He answered all my questions regarding Medicare completely. I would absolutely recommend John, without reservation.
Linda WilliamsLinda Williams
10:08 12 Jul 23
I had a 5 star experience and would recommend him. Always returning my calls promptly, very helpful and informative, listened to what my needs was regarding my Medicare. I truly felt comfortable with John's help to navigate through the maze of Medicare
Cindy KulakCindy Kulak
14:51 18 Jun 23
John is very knowledgable, honest and ethical in helping clients evaluate Medicare options and get enrolled. He made the process extremely easy for myself and my husband.
Dale SimsDale Sims
16:28 11 May 23
John did a great job of explaining Medicare and supplemental insurance. He was thorough and patient. He answered all of my questions. I greatly appreciated his help.
Leeann MoosLeeann Moos
17:26 06 Apr 23
When I became eligible for Medicare, my phone was constantly under attack from Medicare options sales folk. Since I needed help understanding my options and life is too short to do business with annoying people a little research was in order. Thats how I found John. His other customers seem very pleased with his service and I decided to give him a try. I was NOT disappointed! He did an excellent job for me, is extremely personable and I could not be happier. Thank you John
Rose WrightRose Wright
16:07 05 Apr 23
I am so thankful for the help that Mr. John was able to assist me with medicare information. After being bombarded with letters and phone calls you just need someone who can walk you through the confusion. And after getting all the info and the best plan and benefits for what i needed. I am glad that He was there for me.Thank you so very much,Rose Wright
Steve HenselSteve Hensel
21:08 04 Apr 23
Claeys Group is great to work with. John is truly professional, knowledgeable and makes the entire process flow so much more smoothly than I expected. I would highly recommend him.
Deborah RounsavallDeborah Rounsavall
14:25 07 Mar 23
I changed from my person finance planning group to John for help. Others led me astray. John is very responsive and follows up promptly. Even helped me on the weekend at the end of year to get all my documents in on time so I didn't lose insurance coverage. Explains all the options in a manner that us rookies can understand it. I highly recommend John.
Setella ParksSetella Parks
13:12 07 Mar 23
John's knowledge is invaluable when it comes to navigating the murky water of Medicare plans. He answered all our questions in a manner we could understand and helped us compare benefits between plans, services, and providers readily available in our area. I am so happy we called on him to assist us! He handled EVERYTHING professionally and patiently and has followed up to make sure we are good. Highly recommend his 5 star service!
Sherry JonesSherry Jones
21:01 23 Feb 23
John was recommended by my sister-in-law, who spoke very highly of him. He wrote out the differences between policies and explained it step by step to me so I could understand which policy would be best for my needs. He was professional but also down to earth so I could be at ease. He did this at my bed side which was such a blessing for me. I highly recommend John for your Insurance needs.
T/D HT/D H
19:40 20 Feb 23
We were recommended by friends to call John Claeys for our insurance. He came twice to gather information on what we were looking for and returned with information and details. We are delighted to have John Claeys as our agent and would recommend to our friends and anyone else to call John Claeys today.Tom and Debbie
Joyce SandvikJoyce Sandvik
20:32 30 Aug 22
John Claeys came to our house to talk about all aspects of Medicare. He wrote out some information on a notepad as he talked and answered our questions. He gave us the handwritten notes along with printouts of more information specific to my needs. My husband and I took o a few days to discuss the options. John took a list of my medications and researched all the available prescription insurance policies for me. He narrowed it down to the best policy (best prescription prices) for me. It was so easy and I felt confident I was getting exactly what I need when I turn 65. Every September, he will research prescription policies from my updated list of medications to find the best policy for my needs. Thanks to John Claeys for making this transition extremely easy and effortless.
Marilyn ScottMarilyn Scott
09:35 23 Jul 22
John enrolled my husband into Medicare 4 years ago. I knew then I wanted him to help me with my Medicare when it was my time to enroll. John helped me recently. He is very knowledgeable, humble and so patient. He made sure I had the best plan for me. He genuinely cares about his clients. He is the best insurance consultant! I highly recommend John for your Medicare needs!!
James MartinJames Martin
20:31 20 Jun 22
John did a great job of providing many options for my insurance. He is very thorough.
Judy MarkmanJudy Markman
17:02 20 Jun 22
John goes above and beyond to find the best insurance to fit your needs at an affordable price. I definitely recommend!
Dave LemingDave Leming
16:56 20 Jun 22
John was referred to my wife and I as we began to transition to use Medicare as our insurance options. He was very knowlegeable about all things related to government programs and supplemental options as well. I would strongly recommend his services to anyone requiring such support.
Ed HareEd Hare
14:16 08 Jun 22
John was recommended to us by a friend as we were turning 65 and having to make decisions on our medicare and advantage plan choices.John was thorough, informed, patient and engaged in helping us wade through all the minutia we were receiving to package the best set of programs for our future healthcare needs.We are happy and confident as healthcare needs arise having John at our side.Debi and Ed Hare
Julie SimpsonJulie Simpson
02:36 14 May 22
We selected an awesome advisor in John Claeys! John was dedicated to our needs in counseling our new Insurance choices with Medicare. He is sincere in getting his customers into the program that is best for their situation. John was sincere in explaining the process and we are happy to refer him to others! Steve and Julie Simpson
Sherry HilliardSherry Hilliard
16:55 18 Feb 22
John was extremely helpful when I had to select my Medicare supplemental policy. He is very knowledgeable in the various insurance products. I would recommend John to anyone needing insurance, and in fact, I have recommended him to several of my friends.
Margie SmithMargie Smith
01:08 16 Feb 22
Highly recommend Claeys Group Ins Service, John has assisted with my Medicare supplement and RX choices for past couple years. He is very knowledgeable of the various companies and policies available. Saved money and introduced me with a 5star company.
ElizEliz
16:56 10 Feb 22
John came to my house and explained the process of signing up to Medicare in an understandable way. He gave me the steps to take and assisted in the planning. With his help, I got it done. Before he came, it all seemed overwhelming. He's so genuinely nice, and I felt like I had known him for a long time. I highly recommend him, and in fact, already have recommended him to friends and family.
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