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Insider’s Report: Biden Administration Could Soon Reduce Medicare Part B Premium
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This is good news for seniors: Medicare has made a preliminary decision to limit coverage for a pricey new Alzheimer’s drug, called Aduhelm, to patients who are participating in approved clinical trials. That means most Part B beneficiaries would not have coverage for Aduhelm.
The arrival of Aduhelm, originally priced at $56,000 per year (and later lowered to $28,200) contributed to the highest increase in Medicare Part B premiums in recent history. Beneficiaries have seen their monthly premiums jump to from $148.50 to $170.10 this year.
This decision on Aduhelm should clear the way for the Biden Administration to roll back the Part B premium increase, something the National Committee and other seniors’ advocacy groups have demanded since the premium hike was announced last month.
According to the National Committee’s Legislative & Policy Director Dan Adcock: “It’s unlikely that the President would roll back the entire Part B premium increase. It’s more plausible that he would reduce the premium by about $11.50 per month, the amount attributable to the cost of Aduhelm.”
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is expected to make a final decision on covering the questionably effective new drug, which is grossly overpriced by Big Pharma, by mid-April.
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| Good Bills |
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The National Committee endorses the "Protection of Social Security Benefits Restoration Act" (H.R. 5866 / S.3177) that restores federal protections of Social security benefits to prevent the federal government from garnishing them for the repayment of all non-tax federal debt, such as student loans. Up until 1996, when Congress authorized the garnishment of Social Security and other earned benefits for the purpose of collecting debts owed by seniors to the federal government, the law provided near iron-clad protection against impoverishment in old age due to debt collection.
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| Ask Web |
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Our resident Social Security expert, Webster Phillips — a Senior Policy Analyst for the National Committee and a 31-year veteran at the Social Security Administration — is here to answer your questions about Social Security.
You can either search our archives for valuable advice on a broad range of concerns or submit your question here.
This week's question is: Would you be kind enough to tell me the maximum monthly Social Security benefit one can receive?
Click here to read the answer.
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| Poll Results! |
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In the last issue of Benefits Watch we asked our readers the following question:
Has high inflation changed your spending habits (i.e., are you spending less on non-essential items)?
The results from our recent poll are fascinating, but they’re only available to National Committee members! Join the National Committee today and we’ll immediately give you the results of this important poll.
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Ask Web
Whether you’re currently retired or approaching retirement, we can help answer your questions and provide valuable advice on Social Security. |
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Join Now
Your support sustains our campaigns in Washington to protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare. |
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Boost Social Security
Learn how we’re fighting to improve and expand Social Security benefits for current and future generations of Americans. |
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| The Social Security COLA and How Healthcare Takes a Big Bite |
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This year's 5.9% Social Security COLA may be the highest in years, but it still does not take into account the impact of inflation of seniors' actual expenses, says NCPSSM Director of Government Relations and Policy Dan Adcock. (January 4, 2022, WVXU, Radio Interview with Director of Government Relations & Policy Dan Adcock)
Listen Here →
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