Do I Have a Case

[rjlocal22]

I contacted Social Security at the beginning of this year concerning allowing Medicare to eat up all the increases I received for the last 5 years.
The COLA for those years is a total of 6%. So since January of 2015 to the present, my net payment stayed the same.
When I complained, they stated that even though I have my 40 quarters paid in, I did not make enough money during the early part of my working life.
Well that should not effect the COLA, So I do not understand why they mentioned the amount of money I made
The COLA is supposed to cover all costs of living, not just medicare.
So why is Social Security allowing Medicare to take all of the COLA?
Do you think I have a case and if so, would filing a class action be the best approach?
I worked under Social Security for 10 years and then switch jobs that had a pension program without Social Security.

[flyingron]

If you're talking about Plan B medicaid premiums being withheld from your SS benefit, then indeed there's a provision you may be bumping up against.

[adjusterjack]

So since January of 2015 to the present, my net payment stayed the same.

You and everybody else on Social Security in this country.

Sorry, no "case."

[rjlocal22]

Ok then, tell me this. Does a person who work all his life paying into Social Security and gets a COLA each year, does Medicare not Medicaid, eat up all the COLA as they do to me.
I suspect not and I feel like I am being penalized for having a pension. My complaint is not about my low Social Security payment but the loss of increased cost of living.
Again, the COLA means cost of living for everything not just health care.

[PayrolGuy]

Ok then, tell me this. Does a person who work all his life paying into Social Security and gets a COLA each year, does Medicare not Medicaid, eat up all the COLA as they do to me.
I suspect not and I feel like I am being penalized for having a pension. My complaint is not about my low Social Security payment but the loss of increased cost of living.
Again, the COLA means cost of living for everything not just health care.

No, the COLA doesn't get eaten up by Medicare increases in every case. But in your case it does. And I'm sure there are likely some cases where the cost of Medicare grows faster than the COLA.

[Janke]

Well, the main reason your COLA amount may equal your increased Part B premiums IS because your Social Security benefit is so low. If you had a higher SS benefit, then your COLA dollar amount would be higher (the percentage increase is the same).

A 2% increase on $500 is $10. A 2% increase on $2000 is $40. The Part B premium is usually the same for both of them, although some Medicare beneficiaries with higher incomes pay higher Part B premiums as well under IRMMA (Income Related Monthly Medicare Adjustment). So sure, the COLA dollar amount for a lower SSA benefit is not as great as the COLA amount for a higher SS benefit. A $10 Part B increase would "eat up" a $10 raise, yes. But not a $40 raise.

Not sure what law you think has been broken and what kind of case you have and who you would sue, except you don't like the results.

Have you inquired into other programs that may pay your Part B Medicare premium for you? You don't have to be on Medicaid.

[rjlocal22]

My total income is above the limits for extra help. So I guess I'll have to wait to see if Social Security will base their formula's to determine how much medicare should get so that
the receipiant will have some money left for other costs other then Medicare.

[PayrolGuy]

My total income is above the limits for extra help. So I guess I'll have to wait to see if Social Security will base their formula's to determine how much medicare should get so that
the receipiant will have some money left for other costs other then Medicare.

There is no reason to think they will.