Aug 10
19
Medicare Drug Benefit Premium Will Be 3% Higher In 2011
The AP (8/19, Alonso-Zaldivar) reports, “Seniors will see a modest increase in their Medicare prescription premiums next year but benefits will also improve, federal health officials said Wednesday. The average monthly premium charged by Medicare drug plans for standard coverage will rise to an estimated $30 in 2011, an increase of $1 over 2010, or about 3 percent, said Medicare administrator Don Berwick. …. Nonetheless, seniors with high drug costs can look forward to a noticeable improvement next year” because “the new healthcare law will begin to close the coverage gap known as the doughnut hole.”
The Hill (8/19, Lillis) reported in its “Healthwatch” blog, “The estimate doesn’t represent next year’s base premium — which is $32.34 — but anticipates that current Part D enrollees will switch to lower cost plans in 2011. Historically, CMS officials said, that shift has dropped the average premium by about $2.” While making the announcement, Berwick “said the low rates ‘will add stability’ to a prescription drug benefit currently catering to more than 27 million seniors.”