It is no surprise that with a new year comes new Medicare changes. Medicare beneficiaries need to know of the year-by-year changes. That way, you can understand what has changed in your plan. For example, you can know if any Medicare supplement plans have updates, a premium increase, or any actions you need to take. In this article, we will go over what Medicare covers in 2022.
Medicare Deductible in 2022
In 2022, the Part B deductible and standard have increased. The Part B deductible is now $233, and the standard Part B premium is now $170.10 a month. Part A’s premium will be free for most people if they have 40 work credits. If you must pay the Part A deductible in 2022, it is $1,556 for every benefit period.
The inpatient hospital costs have also been raised in 2022. In the first 60 days, beneficiaries will pay $0 a day. On days 61 to 90, you spend $389 daily. After 91 days, you will pay $778 per day.
Changes to Medicare Advantage in 2022
What do the changes to Medicare Advantage look like in 2022? Premium costs will decrease to an average of $19. Beneficiaries will see more plan options which will mean lower costs. This will be helpful to Medicare beneficiaries who are looking for more options.
Changes to Part D in 2022
In 2022, the premiums for Part D will be, on average, $33. The maximum deductible for 2022 is $480 for the entire year. The initial coverage limit and out-of-pocket threshold increased. Amounts have increased across the board for Part D plans. Even the catastrophic amount has risen to $7,050.
What Additional Changes Will We See in 2022?
Listed above are some of the significant changes we will see from Medicare in 2022. Here we will discuss some additional changes.
First is extra help with insulin costs. There may be a Part D plan that participates in the Senior Savings Model that is available your area which caps the price of certain insulins at $35 per month. This year, more Part D plans have agreed to participate in this. If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Part D or a Medicare Advantage plan, you can get help for insulin costs.
Next, telehealth will have some advancements. Mainly mental health coverage used via telehealth will be improving. The covid-19 pandemic highlighted some gaps that needed to be made in the healthcare industry, including the advancement of telehealth. These advancements and improvements include access to mental and behavioral health treatments over the phone. This means that counseling and therapy services will be more readily available to those who need them. Medicare will also pay for mental health visits outside of the pandemic.
Conclusion
Medicare coverage changes every year. It’s essential as a Medicare beneficiary to know the year-by-year changes. In 2022, some things that have changed for Medicare are increased deductibles and premiums. This has made it difficult for people to pay their deductibles and premiums, even with the rise in social security this year.
Medicare Advantage will be making some changes, too. Medicare Advantage plan recipients will see more plan options this year which will mean lower costs. On top of these changes, Medicare beneficiaries will see additional help with insulin costs and further telehealth advancement. The many changes of Medicare can be confusing. Keeping up with these changes will help you stay aware and make proper decisions for your health moving forward.