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Tag: Medicare

Most Medicare Costs Are Increasing in 2024

Premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for Original Medicare generally change every year. Here’s a look at some of the costs that will apply in 2024.

Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) costs for 2024

  • Premium for those who need to buy coverage: As much as $505 per month (down from $506 in 2023); however, most people don’t pay a premium for Medicare Part A
  • Deductible for inpatient hospitalization: $1,632 per benefit period (up from $1,600 in 2023)
  • Inpatient hospital coinsurance: $408 per day for days 61 through 90, and $816 per “lifetime reserve day” after day 90, up to a 60-day lifetime maximum (up from $400 and $800 in 2023)
  • Skilled nursing facility coinsurance: $204 per day for days 21 through 100 for each benefit period (up from $200 in 2023)

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) costs for 2024

Monthly standard premium: Most people with Medicare who receive Social Security benefits will pay the standard monthly Part B premium of $174.70 in 2024, $9.80 higher than in 2023. This premium increase is mainly due to higher projected health-care spending.1

Premium for those with higher incomes: If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) as reported on your federal income tax return from two years ago (2022) is above a certain amount, you’ll pay the standard premium amount and an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), which is an extra charge added to your premium, as shown in the following chart.

*This premium applies to a benefit that extends coverage for immunosuppressive drugs for people whose full Medicare coverage ended 36 months after a kidney transplant and who do not have certain other types of health insurance.

People with higher incomes may also pay a higher premium for a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, because an IRMAA will be added to the Part D basic premium based on the same income limits in the table above. Part D premiums vary, but the average basic monthly premium for 2024 is projected to be $34.50 (up from $32.09 in 2023). The average total premium for plans with enhanced coverage is projected to be $55.50 in 2024, down from $56.49 in 2023.

Annual deductible: People with Medicare Part B must also satisfy an annual deductible before Original Medicare starts to pay. For 2024, this deductible is $240 (up from $226 in 2023).

1) The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2023

You can get more information on Medicare benefits in the Medicare & You 2024 Handbook at medicare.gov.

What about Medicare Part C premiums?

Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) costs vary by plan and some are premium-free, but the projected average premium for 2024 plans is $18.50 (up from $17.86 in 2023). If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you will also have to pay the Medicare Part B premium.

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Prepared by Broadridge Advisor Solutions. © 2023 Broadridge Financial Services, Inc. CapSouth Partners, Inc, dba CapSouth Wealth Management, is an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. This material is from an unaffiliated, third-party and is used by permission. Any opinions expressed in the material are those of the author and/or contributors to the material; they are not necessarily the opinions of CapSouth. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable. CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. CapSouth does not offer tax, accounting or legal advice. Consult your tax or legal advisors for all issues that may have tax or legal consequences. This information has been prepared solely for informational purposes, is general in nature and is not intended as specific advice. Any performance data quoted represents past performance; past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Healthcare Costs in Retirement

In a 2020 survey, 36% of all workers reported they were either “not too” or “not at all” confident that they would have enough money to pay for their medical expenses in retirement. Regardless of your confidence, however, being aware of potential health care costs during retirement may allow you to understand what you can pay for and what you can’t.1

Health-Care Breakdown

Faucet

A retired household faces three types of health care expenses.

  1. The premiums for Medicare Part B (which covers physician and outpatient services) and Part D (which covers drug-related expenses). Typically, Part B and Part D are taken out of a person’s Social Security check before it is mailed, so the premium cost is often overlooked by retirement-minded individuals.
  2. Copayments related to Medicare-covered services that are not paid by Medicare Supplement Insurance plans (also known as “Medigap”) or other health insurance.
  3. Costs associated with dental care, eyeglasses, and hearing aids – which are typically not covered by Medicare or other insurance programs.

It All Adds Up

According to a HealthView Services study a 65-year-old healthy couple (male living to age 87; female, age 89), can expect their lifetime health care expenses to add up to around $606,337.2

Should you expect to pay this amount? Possibly. Seeing the results of one study may help you make some critical decisions when creating a strategy for retirement. Without a solid approach, health care expenses may add up quickly and alter your retirement spending.

Prepared for the Future?

Workers were asked how much they have saved and invested for retirement – excluding their residence and defined benefit plans.

Chart

Source Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2020

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1. Employee Benefit Research Institute, 2020
2. HealthView Services, 2019

The content is developed from sources believed to be providing accurate information. The information in this material is not intended as tax or legal advice. It may not be used for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. Please consult legal or tax professionals for specific information regarding your individual situation. This material was developed and produced by FMG Suite to provide information on a topic that may be of interest. FMG, LLC, is not affiliated with CapSouth Wealth Management. The opinions expressed and material provided are for general information and should not be considered a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Copyright 2020 FMG Suite.

Certain Uncertainties in Retirement

The financial uncertainties we face in retirement may risk reducing our sense of confidence, potentially undermining our outlook during those years.

Indeed, according to the 2018 Retirement Confidence Survey by the Employee Benefits Research Institute, only 17% of pre-retirees said they are “very confident” about having enough assets to live comfortably in retirement. In addition, just 32% of retirees were “very confident” in their prospects for doing so.[i]

Today, retirees face two overarching uncertainties. While each one can lead even the best-laid strategies awry, it is important to remember that remaining flexible and responsive to changes in the financial landscape may help you meet the challenges posed by uncertainty in the years ahead.

 

An Uncertain Tax Structure

A mounting national debt and the growing liabilities of Social Security and Medicare are straining federal finances. How these challenges will be resolved remains unknown, but higher taxes – along with means-testing for Social Security and Medicare – are obvious possibilities for policymakers.

Whatever tax rates may be in the future, taxes can be a drag on your savings and may adversely impact your retirement security. Moreover, any reduction of Social Security or Medicare benefits has the potential to increase financial strain during your retirement.

Consequently, you will need to be ever mindful of a changing tax landscape and strategies to manage the impact of whatever changes occur.

 

Market Uncertainty

If you know someone who retired (or wanted to retire) in 2008, you know what market uncertainty can do to a retirement blueprint.

The uncertainties have not gone away. Are we at the cusp of a bond market bubble bursting? Will the eurozone find its footing? Will U.S. debt be a drag on our economic vitality?

Over a 30-year period, uncertainties may evaporate or resolve themselves, but new ones may also emerge. Solutions for one set of financial or economic circumstances may not be appropriate for a new set of circumstances.

Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle said, “He who could foresee affairs three days in advance would be rich for thousands of years.” Preparing for uncertainties is less about knowing what the future holds as it is being able to respond to changes as they unfold.[ii]

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Investment advisory services are offered through CapSouth Partners, Inc., dba CapSouth Wealth Management, an independent registered Investment Advisory firm. Information provided by sources deemed to be reliable.  CapSouth does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information.  This material has been prepared for planning purposes only and is not intended as specific tax or legal advice.  Tax and legal laws are often complex and frequently change.  Please consult your tax or legal advisor to discuss your specific situation before making any decisions that may have tax or legal consequences.

 

 

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[i] https://www.ebri.org/docs/default-source/rcs/1_2018rcs_report_v5mgachecked.pdf?sfvrsn=e2e9302f_2

 

[ii] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/thomas_carlyle_118785

 

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