Reuters: Medicare Part B premiums going up, cuts into Social Security COLA

Reuters: Medicare Will Cut Social Security's 'Raise' In 2012
After two years without an inflation adjustment, the Social Security Administration is expected to announce a 2012 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of more than 3 percent next week. That would be a sizable raise in this economy, and very welcome news to seniors hit hard by rising costs, slumping home equity and very low returns on fixed-income investments. But the good COLA news will come with a nasty kicker. Many seniors will see a substantial part of the COLA consumed by a higher premium for Medicare Part B (doctor visits and outpatient services), which usually is deducted from Social Security payments. The situation sheds light on the complex interaction of Social Security COLAs and Medicare premiums -; and it underscores the critical importance of the Super Committee deficit deliberations on possible cuts to future COLAs (10/12).