How to handle Medicare Advantage C costs

Part C is for a Medicare Advantage Plan. My understanding is that it replaces B and may include features of D.

Or it could be a type C supplement.

In either case, it's medical insurance, and should be included _somewhere_ in the medical insurance questionnaire. As the IRS doesn't require the details, claim it somewhere in Medical.

-- Arthur Rubin, CRTP, AFSP, Brea, CA

It is advantage. It replaces B&D, except the government still deducts for B& D from SS.

Many people have to pay _additional_ premiums (called IRRMA for something like Income Related .... Adjustment) for Medicare Parts B and D coverage, and these don't go away if the person happens to be enrolled in a Medicare Part C program. The Part C premium, if any, is paid separately to the company offering the Part C program. For those receiving Social Security benefits, the Part B and Part D IRRMA premiums are deducted from the Social Security benefit. In a year when the annual increase in Social Security benefits is smaller than the annual increase in Medicare premiums (e.g. 2017), the law restricts the increase in premiums to the increase in the benefits so that the _net_ SS benefit (the cash in hand that the SS beneficiary receives) does not decrease.

This restriction on how much premiums can rise is often referred to as the "hold harmless" provision. However, it doesn't apply to the many people subject to IRMAA. Their SS checks can decrease.

From CMS: "Medicare Part B enrollees not subject to the ?hold harmless? provision include ... those who pay an income-related premium."