Medicare Premium Increases

The Social Security Administration has sent the 2007 Social Security benefits statements. Taxpayers with 2005 modified AGI over $80,000 (single) and $160,000 (married) will see an increase in their 2007 Medicare premium. These increases can be up to $1,630 per couple, and are scheduled to triple by 2009.

Medicare subscribers have 60 days to appeal the increase and may be eligible for recomputation if:

-The taxpayer experienced a life-changing event that affected their income;
-The SSA used the 2006 year and the taxpayer can provide the 2005 information; or
-The taxpayer filed an amended return, which decreased the income below the thresholds.

Advance Health Care Directives

Since ‘Advance Health Care Directives’ have come up twice in the last couple of weeks I thought I would make some comments about them.

After several messages from my kids and my ex-wife, it became apparent that I needed to look into this instrument particularly after my Doctor gave me the entire package I needed to fill in.

After theTerri Schiavo case in Florida, in which she was kept alive from 1990 to 2005 through life support http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terri_Schiavo there became a renewed interest in this instrument.

It seems to me that during a highly emotional period all concerned need some guidance from the patient that has been well thought out while they are well.

Don’t wait for your Attorney to prepare this document for you. You don’t have to wait for your Doctor to urge you along but just GOOGLE ‘Advance Health Care Directive’ and you will find everything you need on the first page of hits.