Medicare's outpatient 'Part B' premium going up to $144.60
WASHINGTON (AP) - Medicare says its "Part B" premium for outpatient care will rise to $144.60 a month next year, an increase of $9.10, or nearly 7%.
That follows a smaller $1.50 rise this year.
The health care cost increase comes after Social Security announced a modest 1.6 percent cost-of-living raise for 2020.
The Part B premium is an unofficial yardstick used by beneficiaries to track what health care is costing them. Part B covers doctor visits and outpatient care, while Medicare's Part A covers hospitalization.
Medicare officials said Friday the annual Part B outpatient deductible will increase by $13, to $198 next year.
The Part A in-patient deductible will increase by $44, to $1,408 in 2020.
Next year's Social Security increase works out to $24 a month for the average retired worker.