Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2018 premiums for the Medicare inpatient hospital (Part A) and physician and outpatient hospital services (Part B) programs.

For 2018, the Part B premium (for those already on Medicare and having their premiums deducted from their Social Security check) will be between $108 and $134, depending on the amount of their Social Security cost of living increases. For those just coming onto Medicare in 2018, the part B premium will be $134 per month. The Part B deductible will remain at the 2017 rate, $183. There are some changes to the numbers which are listed below, but if you have a Medicare supplement policy, it will take care of some, if not all, of these expenses.

• Part A hospital deductible: in 2017, $1,316; in 2018, $1340.

• Part A hospital coinsurance days 61-90: in 2017, $329 per day; in 2018, $335 per day.

• Part A hospital coinsurance lifetime reserve days: in 2017, $658 per day; in 2018, $670 per day.

• Skilled nursing coinsurance days 21-100: in 2017, $164.50 per day; in 2018, $167.50 per day.