[NFBMO] FYI: Social Security and Medicare increases for 2019

[GeneCoulter at Charter.net]

Social Security benefits and SSI benefits will increase by 2.8%
beginning with checks received in January of 2019.
The part B Medicare Premium for most recipients will increase from
$134.00 to $135.50.
So, most folks will see the first significant increase in several years.
To estimate your new amounts do the following:
For SSI multiply your current amount by 1.028.
For Social Security recipients  add your current check amount to your
Medicare premium and multiply it by 1.028 then subtract the new Medicare
premium and you should be within a dollar or two of the new amount. Due
to the way SSA rounds things this may result in you getting  up to two
dollars less or one dollar more than these calculations.
Example:
Frankie  gets $1,100 monthly SSDI check her Medicare premium is $134.
She will get the 2.8% increase and the new Medicare premium will be
$135.50
So, $1,100 plus $134 = 1234 times 1.028 = 1268.55 minus $135.50 = $$1133
new amount.
Important note: because of small increases in benefits  over the years
some folks are not paying the full Medicare premium as the law states
that benefit checks cannot go down due to increases in Medicare
Premiums. This means that  if you are paying less than the maximum
SSA/Medicare will  raise your premium more than the dollar fifty until
you are paying the full $135.50.
My guess is that could affect those getting a monthly check currently
under $1,100.  

Gene Coulter