Implementation Status
In April 2010, CMS released the final notice for rules governing Part D for CY11, including the calculation of the Part D low-income subsidy. Formal codification of this provision was accomplished in the April 15, 2011, final MA/Part D rule (see p. 21451).
2016
On July 29, Medicare announced that the average premium for a Medicare Part D plan in 2017 is projected to remain stable at an est. $34 per month, representing an increase of approximately $1.50 over the average 2016 premium of $32.56. In the announcement, Acting Administrator Slavitt noted that he was “increasingly concerned about the rising cost of drugs, especially high-cost specialty drugs, and the impact of these costs on the Medicare program.”
Statutory Text
SEC. 3302. IMPROVEMENT IN DETERMINATION OF MEDICARE PART D LOW-INCOME BENCHMARK PREMIUM. (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1860D–14(b)(2)(B)(iii) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–114(b)(2)(B)(iii)) is amended by inserting ‘‘and determined before the application of the monthly rebate computed under section 1854(b)(1)(C)(i) for that plan and year involved and, in the case of a qualifying plan, before the application of the increase under section 1853(o) for that plan and year involved’’ before the period at the end. øAs revised by section 1103(c) of HCERA¿ (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to premiums for months beginning on or after January 1, 2011.