Perspective               

2000 Medicare Rates

If you don't already know, your Medicare costs are up again this year. The Part A deductible for inpatient hospital care rose by eight dollars, to $776. Hospital coinsurance on days 61 through 90 of a hospital stay rose by two dollars to $194 a day, and from days 91 through 150, the coinsurance rose by four dollars to $388 a day.

The 2000 Part B premium remains the same at $45.50 a month.

Although these increases may seem small, the out-of-pocket costs for people on Medicare add up. Typically, people with Medicare pay out-of-pocket over $2,500 each year for their health care.

If you need help paying your Medicare premiums and deductibles, it is important to know about special programs that can help offset these costs. The following Medicare programs are designed to help low-income seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare: One - the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program pays the Medicare Part B premiums, deductibles, and co-payments for people on Medicare whose incomes are below the poverty line - $707 in monthly income for people living alone, and $942 for couples. Two - the Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary Program (SLMB) pays the Medicare Part B premiums for people on Medicare whose incomes are under $844 a month for people living alone and $1126 a month for couples. The income levels for these programs may change slightly in March when the new poverty levels are determined. Finally - there are two other programs, QI-1 and QI-2 that help people with slightly higher incomes pay their Part B premiums. Asset limits for all of these programs are $4,000 for individuals and $6,000 for couples.

If you are eligible for any of these programs, there is no reason why you should not benefit from the extra money they provide you. If you think you may be eligible for any of these programs, call your State Medicaid office, which can help you apply. You can also call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP. The number is listed in Medicare & You, which you may have gotten in the mail this past fall or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

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