Parts of Medicare	Premium	Open Enrollment
Part A: hospital insurance for acute hospital, home care and rehabilitation	No premium unless not on Social Security	No need to re-enroll after initial Medicare enrollment
Part B: supplemental insurance for outpatient services, primary health care, laboratory, doctor visits	Yes	No need to re-enroll after initial Medicare enrollment
Part C: Medicare Advantage (MA) - Medicare HMO	Most of the time	Open enrollment 1/1/09 - 3/31/09
Part D: prescription drugs	Most of the time	Open enrollment 11/15/08 - 12/31/08

The good news is that most Medicare beneficiaries will not see an increase in their Medicare B premiums this next year. As you can see from the table below, higher income beneficiaries will see rates increase 10-29% in 2009. Medicare uses your 2007 Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI), which is a combination of your adjusted gross (taxable) income and tax exempt interested income to determine which premium you will pay.

Modified Adjusted Gross Income		Annual Part B Premium	% Increase over 2008
Single	Married Filing Jointly
< $85,000	< $170,000	$1,157	0
$85,001 - < $107,000	$171,000 - < $214,000	$1,617	10.4
$107,001 - < $160,000	$214,001 - < $320,000	$2,312	19.8
$160,001 - < $213,000	$320,001 - < $426,000	$3,006	25.5
>$213,000	>$426,001	$3,700	29.3

Note:Married beneficiaries who file separate tax returns have a different premium schedule. Check GOODCARE.com for further information.

Speaking of that time of year again! The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu shot, and the best time to get one is from early October to mid-November. You need a flu shot every year because the virus is constantly changing and new vaccines are developed annually to protect against new strains. The American Lung Association website can help you find a flu clinic in your area.

Dr. Kathryn Votava was interviewed by IIana Polyak for Health.com for the Money and Health section. The focus of the article is frequently asked questions when buying long-term care insurance.