AID PROGRAM FOR MEDICARE RECIPIENTS ENDS

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New York Times 10-16-05WASHINGTON-- AID PROGRAM FOR MEDICARE RECIPIENTS ENDSAbout 192,000 Medicare beneficiaries with low incomes face a steepincrease in cost because Congress has not renewed a program that paidtheir monthly premiums, the Bush administration said yesterday.An e-mail notice sent to Congress on Friday night said that legalauthority for the program expired at the end of the fiscal year on Sept.30. So the low-income beneficiaries -- who are 65 and older, ordisabled -- will have to pay the premiums that until now were paid forthem by the federal government. The basic Medicare premium, $78.20 a month, will rise to $88.50 inJanuary. Premiums are normally deducted from Social Security checks."The administration has no authority to reinstate the program," thenotice said. "Congress must act. The president's 2006 budget proposeda one year extension of the program. Without a reinstatement of theprogram, these 192,000 beneficiaries will be individually responsiblefor the payment of their Medicare Part B premiums."Under the program, the federal government pays premiums for Medicarebeneficiaries with income from $1,097 to $1,464 a month.