Medicare Part B Premiums

[tae111]

I retired in 2011 and had company retirement medical benefits until I turned 65 in October of this year. My wife stopped working at the end of 2016. When I got my part B premium notice it says I must pay $53.50 more each month because I earned too much. The problem is they used my 2016 tax return when my wife worked most of the year. We don't even come close to the threshold for the excess premium now. I went to the local Social Security office with my 2017 tax return and filed a appeal but got a notice in the mail that the appeal was denied. Where can I go from here?

 

[MBSC]

The IRMAA increase is re-calculated each year. Later this month you should receive a notice stating that your 2019 Part B premium will be based on the 2017 tax return and IRMAA will not be applied. Each year they use the tax return from two years prior.

The IRMAA appeal was denied because the "life changing event" (spouse's retirement) occurred in 2016 instead of 2017.