On October 27, 2011, Medicare announced that the premium for Part B coverage will be $99.90 per month. This represents an increase of $3.50 per month for most Medicare enrollees, but will actually be a reduction for some. Medicare participants who have also been receiving Social Security benefits since 2009 or earlier have had their Medicare premiums frozen at $96.40 since 2009, so they will pay the slightly higher rate in 2012. Medicare recipients who have not yet started to receive social security benefits, or whose benefits began in 2010 or 2011, will actually enjoy a reduction in their Medicare premium ... some by as much as $15.50 per month, from $115.40 to $99.90.
Higher income individuals who are also covered by Medicare will continue to pay higher premiums than the "standard/base" rate, but since that base rate will be decreasing from $115.40 to $99.90, their higher premiums will also be less in 2012 than they were in 2011.
Higher income individuals who are also covered by Medicare will continue to pay higher premiums than the "standard/base" rate, but since that base rate will be decreasing from $115.40 to $99.90, their higher premiums will also be less in 2012 than they were in 2011.