Private insurers are padding their pockets with billions in alleged overpayments from Medicare Advantage, and hardworking American seniors are footing the bill through higher Part B premiums, according to a congressional report obtained by the Wall Street Journal. The report, issued by the bipartisan Joint Economic Committee, shows that controversial practices, such as adding extra diagnoses to trigger larger government reimbursements, drove up Medicare Part B premiums by $13.4 billion in 2025 alone. That amounts to roughly 10% higher costs, or more than $200 extra annually, for the average senior on a fixed Social Security income. The impact extends beyond enrollees in Medicare Advantage plans. Traditional Medicare beneficiaries are also paying higher premiums to help subsidize the private plans’ gains. Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ), who chairs the committee, said in a statement to the Journal, “Extra spending on Medicare Advantage is not just coming out of the federal government’s budget, a portion of this comes out of you.” Politicians scream at each other over scraps while Medicare Advantage spits out $84B in overpayments in a …