7 MEDICARE CHANGES YOU NEED TO KNOW!
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2019!
UNCLE Sam has made some significant tweaks to the Medicare program for 2019 — and GLOBE reveals seven changes every American needs to know:
Costs for standard Medicare Part B covering visits to the doctor and tests is going up from $134 to $135.50. High earners could pay even more.
The yearly deductible for Part B is up $2 to $185 while the Part A deductible for inpatient hospital stays climbs by $24 to $1,364.
Medicare Advantage Plans bundling Part A and Part B with Part D drug prescriptions have an expanded enrollment period beginning Jan. 1 and ending March 31. During enrollment, you can switch between different Advantage plans or back to regular Medicare.
Medicare Advantage has more options this year. You can select plans that offer home meal delivery, rides to and from doctor’s offices, installation of safety handrails and wheelchair ramps in the home, and healthcare aides working in the house.
Part D forces patients with high prescription drug costs to pay even more for medicine after reaching a spending limit. This extra out-of-pocket cost is called the “donut hole.” This year, the donut hole for brandname drugs is eliminated. The hole for generic meds ends next year.
A spending cap that required you to pay the full cost of outpatient physical speech or occupational therapy has been lifted.
This year, Medicare will cover some remote health services: the costs of consulting with a doctor or health professional over the telephone or on the internet for patients with end-stage kidney disease or needing stroke treatment.