A Message from U.S. Senator Jack Reed
I write to update you on recent positive changes to Medicare Part B premiums for many Rhode Islanders.
Among its many provisions, the new Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 prevents a dramatic increase in Medicare Part B premiums for over 15 million Americans. To view my full statement on this budget agreement, please visit http://go.usa.gov/crajk.
Earlier this year, the Social Security Administration announced a zero cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2016. The lack of a COLA coupled with rising Medicare Part B premiums meant that many Medicare beneficiaries, not already protected from premium increases under current law, would face significant increases in their premiums next year. I supported the Bipartisan Budget Act to reduce these sharp increases in Medicare premiums for over 50,000 beneficiaries in Rhode Island. The legislation also prevents any increase in Medicare Part B deductibles for all beneficiaries. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released specific information on 2016 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles. For your review, I have attached this information.
While I would have preferred an outright freeze of Medicare Part B premium rates for beneficiaries - and I cosponsored S. 2148, the Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2015, which would have accomplished this goal - the Bipartisan Budget Act goes a long way toward ensuring that Medicare premiums and deductibles are affordable for beneficiaries over the next year.
Medicare and Social Security play an important role in improving the health and financial security of millions of seniors, including over 200,000 Rhode Islanders, and I am committed to preserving and strengthening these earned benefits for future generations. Please know that I continue to advocate for the use of alternative methods to calculate Social Security COLAs as I work to safeguard and strengthen programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
As always, please do not hesitate to write, call, or visit my website, www.reed.senate.gov, in the future for information regarding this or any other matter.
Sincerely,
Jack Reed
United States Senator
