Prepare To Pay—Medicare Part B Premium & Other Costs Going Up In 2024

On October 12, 2023, there were two important press releases relevant to seniors.

2024 Part B Premium Will Be $174.70

The new monthly premium will be $9.80 more than this year’s $164.90. In March, the Medicare trustees estimated that the monthly Part B premium would be $174.80. It looks as though their crystal ball was not broken; they missed the actual premium by $0.10.

In the press release, CMS explains that the increase in the premium and other Part B costs is mainly due to the projected increased in healthcare spending. That is not a surprise given the demographics. There were 100,000 more people on Medicare in June 2023 than in fall 2022 and healthcare costs increase as people age.

There has been speculation that the premium could rise because of Leqembi, the new Part B drug approved for those diagnosed with with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer’s disease dementia. CMS included the impact of another Alzheimer’s drug on the Part B premium in the 2021 and 2022 updates. However, there is no mention of that in this press release and I could not find any related updates on the internet. But whatever the contributing factors, the premium will be almost $10 more.

Other Medicare Costs Rising

Part B Deductible

The Part B deductible is jumping $14 to $240.

Part B IRMAA

Since 2007, higher-income beneficiaries have paid more for Part B (in addition to the monthly premium) because of IRMAA, the Income-related Monthly Adjustment Amount. The Part B premium is the barometer for IRMAA. When the premium goes up or down so do the amounts higher-income beneficiaries pay. For example, in 2023, the Part B premium dropped $5.20 and so did the monthly adjustments. Next year, with the increase in premiums, those subject to IRMAA will pay more.

First the new thresholds. (If your income from two years ago (2022) crosses this line, you will pay more.)

• The 2024 thresholds will be $103,000 for beneficiaries who file an individual return or married individuals filing a separate return, up from $97,000 this year.

• For married individuals filing a joint return, the threshold will increase from $194,000 to $206,000.

Then the monthly adjustments will range from $69.90-$419.30. This year the range was $65.90-$395.60.

Part D IRMAA

Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage can come through either a stand-alone drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage. These beneficiaries will also pay more. The Part D IRMAA in 2024 will range from $12.90-$81.00 a month, up $0.70-$4.60.

(Find complete IRMAA information here.)

Part D Deductible

Those who have Medicare prescription drug coverage can face a deductible that will be $545 in 2024; it is $505 this year.

Part A Premium and Cost Sharing

Most beneficiaries qualify for premium-free Part A, hospital insurance. That’s because either they or a spouse have 40 Social Security credits (10 years of paying taxes). Those who have not earned that many credits must pay a monthly premium if they want Part A.

Unlike everything else, the premium for Part A will not increase.

• Those who have at least 30 credits will pay $278 in 2024, the same as this year.
• Those with fewer than 30 credits will see a $1 decrease to $505 a month.

However, that will not be the case for other Part A costs.

• The inpatient hospital deductible will be $1,632, an increase from $1,600.
• The hospital coinsurance for days 61-90 will go up $8 to $400.
• The daily hospital coinsurance for lifetime reserve days (91-150) will increase to $816 from $800.
• The copayment for a skilled nursing facility, days 21-100, will be $204. It is $200 this year.

Different Costs Apply Depending On Your Medicare Decisions

• The Part A premiums apply to any beneficiaries who do not qualify for premium-free Part A.
• The Part B premiums apply to all beneficiaries, no matter whether you opted for Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage.
• Every higher-income beneficiary is subject to Part B and Part D IRMAA, even if they elected Medicare Advantage.
• The Part A costs, however, apply to those with Original Medicare, Part A and Part B with or without a Medigap policy (Medicare supplement plan). Any Medigap policy will cover the daily hospital coinsurance. There are Medigap policies available that will cover the other Part A costs.
• As with Part A costs, the Part B deductible applies to those with Original Medicare. It’s possible most beneficiaries pay this amount ($240 next year). The Medigap policies that cover it, Plan C and Plan F, can no longer be sold to those newly eligible for Medicare.
• The Part A costs and Part B deductible do not apply to those with Medicare Advantage. That’s because plans establish their own cost sharing (deductible, copayments, and coinsurance).

Over the last couple years, we have lived with rising costs so, realistically, we can’t expect Medicare to buck that trend. The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment will help. The balancing act goes on.