Ask Larry

hi i retired in 2019 im married but do not live with her for at least 15 yrs now in collecting my ss which i was getting 2000 a month which they r taking out 148 a month for a-b now i got a letter from ss saying my a-b is going up t 400 a month because they combine her income whit mine so in 2021 they r going take out 400 a month for a-b i do file separate.

Hi,

just to clarify, Part A coverage is premium free if you're eligible for Social Security benefits, so it's your Part B coverage that requires premium payments. Part B premium rates are variable based on a person's income. Social Security would only consider your wife's income when calculating your Part B premium rate if you filed a joint tax return. If you've been filing individual tax returns then your Part B premium rate should be calculated based on your income alone. For more detailed information, refer to Medicare's website: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2020-medicare-parts-b-premiums-and-deductibles.

If you don't think your Part B premiums have been correctly calculated you can ask Social Security to make a new determination (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0601120001). You may want to contact Social Security to see if you may be eligible for a lower premium rate.

Best, Jerry