Medicare Part B monthly premiums and deductibles will remain unchanged in 2015, theU.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced. This marksthe second year that the plan’s premiums and deductibles have notbeen increased.

Premiums will again be set at $104.90 and deductibles at $147for the 49 million people covered by Medicare Part B plans. “This leaves more ofseniors’ cost of living adjustment from Social Security in theirpockets,” HHS said in a release.

“Thanks to slower health care cost growth within Medicare sincethe passage of the Affordable Care Act, next year’s Medicare Part Bmonthly premium will remain unchanged for the second consecutiveyear,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell.“The Affordable Care Act is working to improveaffordability and access to quality care for seniors and peoplewith disabilities.”

HHS said Medicare spending has grown an average of 0.8 percentannually during the last four years, “much lower than the 3.1percent annual increase in per capita GDP over the sameperiod.”

Monthly premiums will decrease by $19 for Medicare Part Amembers who do pay a premium, to $407 in 2015. Most Medicare Part Aplan members don't pay premiums, because they have more than 40quarters of Medicare-covered employment. But for the few that do,the government said, rates will decrease.