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Medicare 2011 Premiums & Cost Sharing
Medicare Premiums for 2011
Part A (Hospital Insurance) Premium
NOTE: If you pay a late enrollment penalty, these amounts will be higher.
CAUTION: In most cases, if you choose to buy Part A, you must also have Part B and pay a monthly premium for both. If you have limited income and resources, your state may help you pay for Part A and or Part B.
Part B: (Medical Insurance) Premium
Most beneficiaries will continue to pay the same $96.40 premium amount in 2011 if they became covered by Part B in 2009 or earlier (or $110.50 if they became covered by Part B in 2010). Beneficiaries who currently have the Social Security Administration (SSA) withhold their Part B premium and have incomes of $85,000 or less (or $170,000 or less for joint filers) will not have an increase in their Part B premium in 2011.
For all others, the standard Medicare Part B monthly premium will be $115.40 in 2011, which is a 4.4% increase over the 2010 premium. If your income is above $85,000 (single) or $170,000 (married couple), then your Medicare Part B premium may be higher than $115.40 per month.
NOTE: If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) as reported on your federal income tax return from 2 years ago (the most recent tax return information provided to Social Security by the IRS) is above a certain amount, you may pay more.
CAUTION: If you don't sign up for Part B when you're first eligible, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Medicare. Your monthly premium for Part B may go up 10% for each full 12-month period that you could have had Part B, but didn't sign up for it. Usually, you don't pay a late enrollment penalty if you meet certain conditions that allow you to sign up for Part B during a special enrollment period.
Medicare Deductible and Coinsurance Amounts for 2011
Part A (Hospital Insurance): Part A helps cover the cost of inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility, and some home health care. For each benefit period, Medicare pays all covered costs except the Medicare Part A deductible (2011 = $1,132) during the first 60 days of confinement and coinsurance amounts for hospital stays that last beyond 60 days but no more than 150 days.
- A total of $1,132 for a hospital stay of 1-60 days (up from $1,100 in 2010 or 2.9%).
- $283 per day for days 61-90 of a hospital stay (up from $275 in 2010, or 2.9%).
- $566 per day for days 91-150 of a hospital stay (Lifetime Reserve Days) [up from $550 in 2010, or 2.9%].
- All costs for each day beyond 150 days
*A new benefit period begins when you have been out of the hospital for 60 or more consecutive days.
- $0 for home health care services with 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for durable medical equipment
- $0 for hospice care: A copayment of up to $5 per prescription for outpatient prescription drugs for pain and symptom management; 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care (short-term care given by another caregiver, so the usual caregiver can rest).
Skilled Nursing Facility Coinsurance
- $141.50 per day for days 21 through 100 each benefit period (up from $137.50 in 2010, or 2.9%). You pay all of the costs for each day after day 100 in a benefit period.
Part B (Medical Insurance):Part B helps covers Medicare eligible physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and preventive care services.
- $162.00 per calendar year in 2011. (Note: You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for most covered services after you meet the $162.00 deductible.) [The deductible was $155.00 for 2010, up 4.5%.]
Citation: cms.gov |
Medicare Program 
