Final answer:
In 2019, most Americans paid a Medicare Part B Premium of $144.60. Medicare Part B helps cover non-hospital medical expenses, and the government funds about 75% of these costs.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 2019, most Americans paid $144.60 for their Medicare Part B Premium. Part B is part of the Medicare program, which is an optional insurance system covering health-care costs outside of hospital stays, including physician services, medical tests, and outpatient visits. Participants pay a monthly premium, deductible charges, and copayments, with the government funding approximately three-fourths of the overall costs. Medicare was significantly expanded in 2003 through legislation signed by President George Bush, providing a prescription drug benefit that greatly impacted the federal budget.
Medicare Part B is crucial for many American seniors, helping to subsidize the cost of necessary non-hospital medical expenses, making it an essential component of retirement health care planning.