For Medicare recipients, there’s good news and for some, there’s a bit of less than good news when it comes to Medicare coverage. Learn more about medicare recipients in this presentation.

1. Big Medicare Changes in 2016 www.zimmerlawfirm.com 1
BIG MEDICARE
CHANGES IN 2016
“For Medicare recipients, there’s good news and for some, there’s a bit of less
than good news when it comes to Medicare coverage.”
Zimmer Law Firm, LLC  (513) 721-1513
866.799.4050 (toll free) • ZimmerLawFirm.com

2. Big Medicare Changes in 2016 www.zimmerlawfirm.com 2
ForMedicare recipients, there’s good
news andfor some, there’s a bit of less
than good news when it comes to
Medicare coverage.
First, you shouldknow that your new
Medicare cards will nolonger have your
Social Security number, making it less
stressfulshouldyourcard get lost or
stolen. This change comes as part of
President Obama’s Medicare Access
and CHIP Reauthorization ACT of 2015.
It couldn’t have come amoment too
soon, considering manyseniors have
fallen victim tofraudsters and thieves
taking advantageof thoseSocial
Security numbers on theMedicare cards. Medicare now has four years tochange the
design of its identification cards. You’ll soon seen a different identification numberthat
won’t reveal any of your personal information. If you’re worried about youridentity and
safety, Medicare suggests you carry a copy of your card with all but thelast four
numbers blacked out. You can leave your original card at home or in a safeplace. If
you’re visiting a new physician whodoes not yet have yourinformation, you can call
ahead and provide your Social Security numbertothe office manager while leaving
your card safe at home. That’s not all, either.

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Thenew law also changes how doctors are reimbursed tocare forMedicare patients
and prevents theneed for Congress to annually pass afunding bill. It shouldnow be
easier forMedicare participants to findhealth care providers. Theprogram that gives
low-income people assistancewith Medicare premiums was alsoextended.
Now for theless than ideal changes.
Forabout 70 percent of Medicare
recipients, there won’t be anychanges at
all to Part B coverage. Look for it to
remain at around $104.90. Because
Inflation hasn’t been high enough to
trigger a Social Security cost of living
adjustment, orCOLA, therewon’t be
changes.
Unfortunately, foraround 30%of
Medicare participants, they can expect a
rather significant increase in Part B
costs; someare warning increases of up
to 52%in 2016. This is because Medicare is required by law tocover a certain amount of
its costs. If thecosts can't be shared among everybody because of the hold-harmless
clause, then thosepeople not covered under thehold-harmless clause will feel the pain.
If you’re new to Medicare and are signing up for thefirst timein 2016, you aren't
protected by the hold-harmless clause and your initial Part Bpremium will be $159.30 in
2016.

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If you’re considered a high-income participant, which is around 1.3 million people, you
already pay higher Part B premiums because yourannual incomes are above $85,000
for an individual or $170,000 foracouple. Projections are that single individuals earning
up to $107,000 (andcouples earning up to$214,000) wouldseetheir2016 monthly
premiums increase from $146.90 perperson this year to $223 in 2016. Forthoseearning
more than $214,000, orfor
couples earning $428,000, the
projected increase is $509.80
per person, up from $335.70 in
2015. Thosearesignificant
increases.
Also, if you’ve deferred claiming
Social Security, approximately
1.6 million people, you toowill
see an increase. This includes people 65 or older whoare still working, but whohave
previously signedup for Medicare due totheir employer not offering health insurance.
It also hits people whohave filed and suspendedSocial Security benefits toallow a
spouseto claim. If they are paying $104.90 amonth forMedicare Part B this year, they
will be charged $159.30 amonth in 2016.
There are a lot of different scenarios that people are wondering about. For instance,
manywonder if claiming Social Security right away and allowing Part B premiums tobe
deducted is a better way. Most experts wouldagree that theincrease of 6 percent to 8
percent you receive at age 70 is a betterfinancial movethan any savings you’ll find in

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thePart B premiums. Thekey is toexplore youroptions and consider thepros and cons
of anypotential scenario.
Also, it’s agood timeto review your estateplanning documents toensureyou’re taking
advantageof any tax benefits that are available. Financial tools like setting up trusts,
for instance, can help in the long run while also benefitting your loved ones later. You
might also want to
discuss whether
Medicaid is a
possibility, as it can
sometimes work
right along with your
Medicare coverage.
Remember, you
have options. If
you’dlike todiscuss
thoseoptions or want torethinkyour estateplanning efforts, weinvite you tocontact
TheZimmer Law Firm today. With just abit of time, you may discover even bigger ways
to make themost of your financial choices. Noone wants togointo retirement
wondering if their savings andplanning efforts were enough.

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About the Author
Barry Zimmer
Barry H. Zimmer founded THEZIMMER LAW FIRM in June 1993, to
practicein theareas of estate planning, estateadministration, and
business succession planning. His goalwas and continues to be
helping clients understand and de-mystify theoften confusing world
of estateplanning in an ever-changing society, and to implement
effective estate planning with minimal effort and timeinvestment.
The firm works from the beliefthat planning should always be driven
bypurpose. As a result, there are no “canned” or pre-set planning
solutions. Instead, Zimmer helpsclients identifytheirgoalsfirst and
then buildsestate and business plans based on that understanding.
Barry has been in private practicesince receiving his law degree from
theUniversity of Cincinnati College of Law in 1979. He earned his Bachelorof Arts Degree from U.C.
with Honors, Magna Cum Laude and Phi BetaKappa,in 1976. He was profiled in the1990-1991 edition
of Who’sWho in American Law for contributionto thebetterment of contemporarysociety,and has
lectured numerous times on legaltopics,and authored several articles and SpecialReports on estate
planning. He is a former guest columnist on SimplyMoney, on 91.7 FM, WVXU. Hemakes occasional
guest appearances on radio about estate planning topics,and has been quoted in newspaper articles
and columns on estate planning matters.
In Mr. Zimmer’s perspective,excellence in implementing trust-based estateplans is but one aspect of
his responsibilityto clients. Providing reliableguidanceand service to families of clients who pass
away is just as criticalas sound planning at thefront end. Thefirm is very active in settling trusts of all
complexityandsizes, and handling probatecases and guardianship proceedings. Zimmer and his staff
have successfully handled hundreds oftrust estatecases, and are experienced in settling and
distributing a wide varietyof estate assets to heirs.
The Zimmer Law Firm
9825 KenwoodRoad, Suite201
Cincinnati, OH45242
Phone: (513) 721-1513
Fax: (513) 287-8623
Website: www.zimmerlawfirm.com