What are Medicare Changes in 2020?

What are Medicare Changes in 2019?

The post below describes 2020 Medicare changes for Premiums and Costs for Medicare Part A, Part B as well as for Part D.

Article Contents

Changes for Medicare Part A Cost in 2020 include:

Part A premium
- For individuals with 40 or more quarters of Medicare-covered employment: $0 per month ($0 in 2019)
- For individuals with 30-39 quarters of Medicare-covered employment: $252 per month ($240 in 2019)
- For individuals with less than 30 quarters of Medicare-covered employment: $458 per month ($437 in 2019)
Hospital Inpatient Stay
- Deductible for days 1-60 of each benefit period: $1,408 (1,364 in 2019)
- Coinsurance per day for days 1-60 of each benefit period: $0 ($0 in 2019)
- Coinsurance per day for days 61-90 of each benefit period: $352 ($341 in 2019)
- For days 91 and beyond: $704 per lifetime reserved day ($682 in 2019)
Mental Health Inpatient Stay
- Deductible for days 1-60 of each benefit period: $1,408 (1,364 in 2019)
- Coinsurance per day for days 1-60 of each benefit period: $0 ($0 in 2019)
- Coinsurance per day for days 61-90 of each benefit period: $352 ($341 in 2019)
- For days 91 and beyond: $704 per lifetime reserved day ($682 in 2019)
Skilled Nursing Facility Stay
- $0 for the first 20 days of each benefit period ($0 in 2019)
- $176 per day for days 21-100 of each benefit period ($170.50 in 2019)
- Days 101 and beyond: all costs (all costs in 2019).

For more information, please visit Medicare costs at a glance.

Changes for Medicare Part B Premium and Cost in 2020 include:

Part B premium
In 2020, the standard Part B premium amount will be $144.60 (or higher depending on your income) ($135.50 or higher in 2019)
Part B premium for higher income based on your yearly income in 2018
- If modified adjusted gross income is $87,000 or less for individual tax returns or $174,000 or less for joint tax returns: $144.60 per month
- If modified adjusted gross income is $87,001 to $109,000 for individual tax returns or $174,001 to $218,000 for joint tax returns: $202.40 per month
- If modified adjusted gross income is $109,001 up to $136,000 for individual tax returns or $218,001 up to $272,000 for joint tax returns: $289.20 per month
- If modified adjusted gross income is $136,001 up to $163,000 for individual tax returns or $272,001 up to $326,000 for joint tax returns: $376.00 per month
- If modified adjusted gross income is $163,001 up to $500,000 for individual tax returns or $326,001 up to $750,000 for joint tax returns: $462.70 per month
- If modified adjusted gross income is above $500,000 for individual tax returns or above $750,000 for joint tax returns: $491.60 per month

Changes for Medicare Part D Cost in 2020 for include:

Yearly Deductible
- You are responsible for the first $435 of drug costs ($415 in 2019)
Initial Coverage
- The initial coverage (when you typically pay 25% of drug costs) starts after you’ve satisfied the yearly deductible and continues until the total drug costs (paid by you and your insurance company) reach $4,020 ($3,820 in 2019).
Coverage Gap
- Once the total cost of prescriptions has reached $4,020, you are responsible for ALL drug costs until you’ve spent $6,350 out-of-pocket ($5,100 in 2019). During the gap period, you’ll pay the following amounts for your prescriptions: 25% from the price of brand drugs (25% in 2019) and 25% from the price of generic drugs (37% in 2019).
Catastrophic Coverage
- Catastrophic coverage starts once you’ve spent $6,350 out-of-pocket ($5,100 in 2019). From then until the end of the calendar year, you are paying the greater of either a 5% coinsurance (the same as in 2019) or a small copayment: $3.60 for generic drugs ($3.40 in 2019) or $8.95 for brand name drugs ($8.50 in 2019).
Low Income Subsidy (LIS)
- Maximum copayment for people qualified for LIS programs is $3.60 for generic or preferred drugs ($3.40 in 2019) or $8.95 for brand name drugs ($8.50 in 2019).

If modified adjusted gross income is $87,000 or less for individual tax returns or $174,000 or less for joint tax returns, then you pay your plan premium.
If modified adjusted gross income is $87,001 to $109,000 for individual tax returns or $174,001 to $218,000 for joint tax returns, then you pay your plan premium + $12.20.
If modified adjusted gross income is $109,001 up to $136,000 for individual tax returns or $218,001 up to $272,000 for joint tax returns, then you pay your plan premium + $31.50.
If modified adjusted gross income is $136,001 up to $163,000 for individual tax returns or $272,001 up to $326,000 for joint tax returns, then you pay your plan premium + $50.70.
If modified adjusted gross income is $163,001 up to $500,000 for individual tax returns or $326,001 up to $750,000 for joint tax returns, then you pay your plan premium + $70.00.
If modified adjusted gross income is above $500,000 for individual tax returns or above $750,000 for joint tax returns, then you pay your plan premium + $76.40.

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For help finding the best Medicare or Individual Health Plan for you, please contact Liberty Medicare or call us at 877-657-7477.