THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MARCH 24, 2023 Page 15 Sa nir Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller How to Appeal Medicare Surcharges When Your Income Changes Dear Savvy Senior, Is there anything I can do to reduce my high Medicare premium surcharges? Because of my past income, I pay $329.70 per month for my Part B premium and $64.50/month for Part D, but my income has dropped since I retired. Do I have any options? Overcharged Andy Dear Andy, If you’re getting hit with a higher premium for Medicare Part B and Part D and you think it’s unjustifi ed, you can ask Social Security to revisit its decision and perhaps reduce your cost. Here’s what you should know. Medicare Surcharges Many retirees don’t realize that monthly premiums for Medicare Part B (coverage for doctor’s services and outpatient care) and Part D (prescription drug coverage) are based on your modifi ed adjusted gross income from two years earlier. So, to determine your 2023 Medicare premium, Social Security uses your 2021 tax return. In those two years, however, your life can change in ways your 2021 tax return and current Medicare premium don’t refl ect. Sometimes, those changes are enough to convince Social Security that your Medicare premium should be reduced. Part B’s standard monthly premium in 2023 is $164.90 for individuals earning $97,000 or less; it’s $194,000 or less for joint filers. Anyone whose income exceeds those thresholds pays a higher premium, also known as an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), or surcharge. The higher monthly premiums rise steadily from $230.80 to $560.50 through fi ve income tiers. The same tiers apply to IRMAAs for Medicare Part D, with enrollees paying an extra $12.20 to $76.40 per month depending on their income. About 7 percent, or 4.4 million higher-income Medicare benefi ciaries pay a surcharge on their monthly Part B and/ or Part D premiums. Reasons for Appealing In certain situations, Social Security will recalculate your premiums – known as a redetermination – for Part B and Part D, particularly if the agency based the cost on a tax return that was later amended. Otherwise, there are seven life-changing events that qualify for a redetermination if they hurt your income: marriage, death of a spouse, divorce or annulment, reduced work hours or retirement, involuntary loss of income-producing property, the loss or reduction of some types of pension income, and an employer settlement payment because the company went bankrupt or reorganized. How to File a Claim To ask Social Security for a redetermination, you’ll need to complete Form SSA-44 (SSA.gov/forms/ssa-44-ext. pdf) and include supporting documents, such as the death certifi cate for a spouse or a letter from a former employer stating that you’re now retired. If you fi led your federal income tax return for the year that your income was reduced, you will also need to provide a signed copy. A decision usually takes a few weeks, but if you had one of the events that Social Security considers life-changing, you should win the appeal. In that case, Social Security will reimburse you for the additional premiums by adding it to your benefi t one month. If you are on Medicare but haven’t started collecting Social Security, you should see a credit on a future invoice. If your request for a redetermination is denied, there are three additional levels of appeals you could try: to the Offi ce of Medicare Hearings and Appeals, to the Medicare Appeals Council and fi nally to the federal district court where you live. For more information on the premium rules for high-income beneficiaries see SSA.gov/benefits/medicare/medicare-premiums. html. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. ~ Home of the Week ~ OPEN HOUSE Saturday, March 25, 11:30-1:00 & Sunday, March 26, 12-1:30 52 Pyburn Rd. Lynnfield LYNNFIELD - 1st AD - CAREFREE LIVING AT ITS BEST! This wonderful townhouse offers 6 rooms, 3 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths. Spacious first floor offers great open floor plan - perfect for entertaining, 9’ ceilings, recessed lighting, livingrm w/ceiling fan, kitchen w/granite counters, breakfast bar w/ seating plus center island w/wine cooler, Bosch stainless steel appliances, Fisher double dishwasher, lg dining room offers slider w/custom Duette window treatments leading to deck. 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Be it hereby ordered: Crown Castle NG East, LLC desires to construct upon, along, under or across the public way(s) of the City Everett, wires, cables, pole, piers, abutments, conduits or fixtures, as requested in petition with said company dated the March 16, 2023. The following are the streets and highways referred to: Spring St (Rear of 35 Garvey St): From Utility Pole #163 on Spring St place (1) 4” PVC Communication Conduit 6’ +/- in a westerly direction to Proposed 12”x24” Crown Castle Handhole and continue 11’ +/- to the building under construction at 35 Garvey St. Wherefore it prays that after due notice and hearing as provided by law, it be granted permission to excavate the public highways and to run and maintain underground electric conduits, together with such sustaining and protecting fixtures as it may find necessary for the transmission of electricity, said underground conduits to be located substantially in accordance with the plan filed herewith marked: 35 Garvey Street & Spring Street - Everett - Massachusetts Hearing to be held with the Everett City Council, held on Monday at 7:00PM, on the 10th of April, 2023 at the Everett City Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, Everett City Hall. March 24 2023
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