CMS: Medicare Part B Premiums, Deductibles Will Decrease in 2023

Medicare Part B premiums and deductibles will decrease in 2023, while Part A costs will rise, according to a fact sheet released by CMS.

Medicare Part B offers coverage for physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home healthcare services, durable medical equipment (DME), and other medical services not covered by Medicare Part A.

The standard monthly premium for Part B enrollees will be $164.90 compared to $170.10 in 2022. The annual deductible will be $226, decreasing $7 from $233 in 2022.

The 2022 premiums included a contingency margin for projected Part B spending on the Alzheimer’s disease drug Aduhelm. However, 2022 saw lower-than-expected spending on Aduhelm and other Part B services, leading to larger reserves in the Part B account of the Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund. This trust fund helps limit Part B premium increases, resulting in lower premiums for 2023.

Individuals with Medicare who take insulin through a pump supplied through the Part B DME benefit will not have to pay a deductible starting on July 1, 2023. In addition, cost-sharing will be capped at $35 for a one-month supply of covered insulin.

In 2023, Medicare beneficiaries who are 36 months post-kidney transplant can choose to continue Part B coverage of immunosuppressive drugs despite no longer being eligible for full Medicare coverage. These individuals will have to pay a monthly premium of $97.10 for immunosuppressive drug coverage.

Medicare beneficiaries with incomes greater than $97,000 will have higher Part B premiums. For example, monthly premiums will range from $230.80 to $560.50 for high-income beneficiaries. Similarly, monthly immunosuppressive drug coverage premiums will vary from $161.80 to $485.50 for high-income beneficiaries.

While Part B costs will decrease in 2023, Part A costs are set to increase.

Medicare Part A offers coverage for inpatient hospital services, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care, inpatient rehab, and home healthcare services.

The Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible for beneficiaries admitted to the hospital will be $1,600 in 2023, rising from $1,556 in 2022. This deductible covers beneficiaries’ share of costs for the first 60 days of inpatient hospital care.

For days 61 through 90 of hospitalization, beneficiaries will have to pay a coinsurance amount of $400 per day, up from $389 in 2022. Past 90 days, the coinsurance will rise to $800 per day. The daily coinsurance for individuals in skilled nursing facilities will be $200 for days 21 through 100 of extended care services, up from $194.50 in 2022.

The majority of Medicare beneficiaries do not have to pay a Part A premium because they have worked at least 40 quarters in their life, the fact sheet noted. However, for those who have not, 2023 premiums are increasing.

Individuals who have at least 30 quarters of coverage or were married to someone with at least 30 quarters of coverage will have a reduced Part A monthly premium of $278 in 2023, compared to $274 in 2022.

Individuals with less than 30 quarters and those with disabilities will have to pay the full 2023 premium of $506 per month, which is $7 higher than in 2022.

The fact sheet also shared 2023 information on Medicare Part D costs. Premiums for Medicare Part D, which offers drug coverage, vary from plan to plan. Around two-thirds of beneficiaries pay premiums directly to their plan, while the other third have their premiums deducted from their Social Security benefit checks.

Beneficiaries with incomes above $97,000 must also pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount in addition to their Part D premium. The amounts will range from $12.20 to $76.40 for high-income beneficiaries.