Changes in Medicare Deductibles and Co-Insurance For 2009

First let’s mention the Social Security cost-of-living increase in your January check. The increase is 5.8 percent and the largest in many, many years. The average increase will be $63. In 2009, the monthly premium for Medicare Part B (medical coverage) that is deducted from your Social Security check will again be based on your adjusted gross income taken from your 2007 income tax return. Basic monthly premium for singles earning $85,000 or less and for married couples earning $170,000 or less will remain at $96.40, the same as in 2008.For single individuals earning between $85,001 and $107,000, the premium will be $134.90; between $107,001 and $160,000, it will be $192.70; between $160,001 and $213,000, it will be $250.50 and for those earning over $213,000, the Part B premium will be $308.30.For married couples filing a joint return and earning $170,001 to $214,000, the premium will be $134.90; $214,001 to $320,000 will be $192.70; $320,001 to $426,000 will be $250.50 and for those earning over $426,000, the premium will be $308.30. For those who are married but filing separate returns, the premium will be $96.40 for incomes of $85,000 or less; for incomes of $85,001 to $128,000, the premium will be $250.50 and for incomes greater than $128,000, the cost will be $308.30. The Part B annual deductible you must pay out of pocket before Medicare will cover claims will remain at $135, the same as in 2008. Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) deductibles and co-insurance have increased. In 2009, the hospital deductible per benefit period will be $1,068 — an increase of $44 (up from $1,024 for 2008). Medicare Part A has no co-insurance for the first 60 days of a hospital stay. However, for days 61 through 90, the co-insurance will be $267 per day and for days 91 through 150, it will be $534 per day. If you are transferred to a skilled nursing facility and meet Medicare’s strict eligibility requirements, there will be no co-insurance for the first 20 days. For days 21 through 100, the co-insurance will be $133.50 per day. Medicare does not cover stays beyond 100 days. For those who have assigned their Medicare benefits to a Senior Advantage Plan (an HMO or PPO), there may be additional premiums. Blue Cross offers one PPO, Freedom Blue 1, with no monthly premium and a deductible of $1,050. The HMOs in Ventura County are Aetna with two options — one with no premium and one with a premium of $22.30; Kaiser with no monthly premium; SCAN with no monthly premium; and Secure Horizons (in west county only), with two plans, each with a $60 monthly premium (however, one plan has no Part D prescription coverage). I think that basically covers Medicare changes for 2009.

-Betty Berry
Senior Concerns Advocate

Featuring:

Ken Westling

Happy, outgoing and comical might just be a few of the words that describe our senior of the month, Ken Westling. Ken has been participating at Senior Concerns for about two years, and everyday he comes with a smile on his face. He was born in Florida and grew up with one brother. He later became a successful engineer where he traveled all over the United States and even to Saudi Arabia. Ken is married and has three daughters and six grandchildren. We want to thank Mr. Westling for being such a great participant and always filling our ears with his lovely songs!

Senior Knowledge: How To Use Prescription Medications Correctly

Now might be the perfect time to address this subject because most seniors have just completed an annual review of their medications to determine if they needed to change insurance carriers for Medicare Part D prescription coverage. This is a good time to review those prescriptions with a physician to make sure you understand why they have been prescribed and any special rules associated with them. I checked with a friend who is a pharmacist to see if there were any particular areas that could cause a potential problem and was surprised at some of what I learned. It all starts with making sure your doctor or doctors know what other herbs, vitamins, supplements or over-the-counter medications you are taking. The combination of any of these items with certain prescription drugs can cause some unpleasant surprises. When given a new prescription, make sure your doctor is aware of all other items you are taking. In reverse, if you are already taking a prescribed medication and want to start taking a new herb, vitamin, supplement or OTC medication, check with your doctor before doing so. If a new drug is prescribed, make sure you learn everything you can about it. Ask for literature about the drug so you can read about it and have something to refer back to. You want to know what the drug is meant to do, when you should take it, how you should take it (with or without food), how long you will have to take it and what its potential side effects are. Also, ask what you should do if you forget to take a dose. One common slip-up is the failure to check the prescription before leaving the pharmacy or receiving it in the mail. Make sure you have received the correct medicine, dosage and number of pills. If this is a new prescription, review the literature that came with it. Become aware of the size, shape and color of the pill and any markings that appear on it.
Whenever possible, have all your prescriptions filled through the same pharmacy. By sticking to one pharmacy, the pharmacist knows all the drugs that you are taking. This allows him or her to be on the lookout for potential interactions. After taking your prescriptions home, there are a few things you can do to prevent mismanagement on your part. First, consider where to store your medications. A bathroom medicine chest is probably a bad choice because bathrooms tend to have moist environments. Moisture can cause medications to deteriorate, which could result in drugs becoming less effective or even toxic. It is far better to keep them in a moisture-free environment and in a place where children cannot gain access. If you have a prescription that you take occasionally, check the expiration date before using it. If the prescription is out-of-date, it might be ineffective or toxic. Checking the date on OTC medications is just as important as it is for prescribed medications. Last, but certainly not least, lending or borrowing a prescribed medication is always a no-no. Medications are prescribed on an individual basis, and no two people are alike. Never take the chance of taking a drug that is not prescribed for you.
These are just a few of the more common slip-ups that can occur. To play it safe, become an educated consumer and always ask before acting.

Betty Berry
Senior Concerns Advocate