Regardless of whether you are a current Medicare recipient or your eligibility is fast approaching, you should learn about the changes that Medicare is facing in the new year. Medicare, the national health program, is for U.S. residents ages 65 and older, those who are disabled, and individuals with end-stage kidney disease. A complicated insurance program, Medicare can have significant changes from one year to the next. Usually, the most significant changes either impact your out-of-pocket costs, your medical care, or both. This year you can expect to pay out higher insurance premiums, higher copays for services, and face higher deductibles. If you must undergo therapy, you will see new limitations on those services as the caps are changing. The Changes of Medicare Part B Some of the most obvious and more common changes to Medicare impact everyone. In this case, that involves higher premiums and an increased deductible. The average premium increase for Part B coverage is around $4 per month, which takes the average monthly premium up to $109. For those enrolled in Medicare already, that is a 4% price hike. During 2015, the Part B deductible was $147. It went up to $166 during 2016. Now, for [...]