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The cost of Medicare for beneficiaries will rise slightly in 2001, but not nearly as much ashad been feared. Monthly premiums for Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient care, will be$50 starting in January, an increase of $4.50 from 2000. Back in 1997, it was projected that thispremium would have swelled to $59.40 by 2001, but the government has successfully held downcosts in recent years. The $100 annual deductible for care under Part B will remainunchanged. As for Medicare Part A, which covers hospitalizations, the new deductible for each "spell of illness" will be $792 in 2001, an increase of $16. This deductible applies during the first 60 daysof a hospital stay. If the hospital stay continues beyond 60 days, the patient must begin makingcoinsurance payments that will rise to $198 a day in 2001. Beyond day 90, a patient must tap intohis or her 60-day lifetime reserve. The coinsurance payments for each day of the 60-day lifetimereserve will be $396 in 2001. The copayment for skilled nursing facility coverage, which begins on day 21 of a nursinghome stay, will climb to $99 a day in 2001. This copayment. is always one-eighth of the initialhospital deductible.
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