Hi Larry, I did the file and suspend three and a half years ago so my wife could start collecting half of my s.s. benefit because she does not have enough credits. My plan was to wait until age 70 to start collecting mine. I had no idea about what the law said about what happens when there is no COLA in a given year so my Medicare went from $104.90 to $121.80 this year. My birthday is March 1 but the S.S. people said that if you are born on the first of the month your eligible for your benefits the previous month which will be February so in February of 2017 I will be eligible for full benefits.

I understand that the COLA is figured on the months of June, July and August. I don't see a COLA happening this year so my plan was to start my S.S. in December to avoid another Medicare increase. This would get me my first check in January of 2017. The monthly difference for my benefit is $17.30 a month so filing two months early would cost me $34.60 a month for the rest of my life. I have also read that if you file at a S.S. office they will try and give you six months back payment that will reduce your monthly benefit which I don't want.

Do I have to file in November to start my benefit in December and is that enough time to avoid a Medicare increase if there is no COLA?

Will the report determining if there will be a COLA for 2017 be released before November of this year?

You have to file by, and be entitled in, Nov so that you receive checks in both Dec and Jan to be held harmless. The COLA is based on the third quarter CPI-W, i.e. Jul, Aug, and Sep. The Sep index is usually available towards the end of Oct.
But, beware, the hold harmless Medicare premium relief is only temporary, i. e. until future COLAs catchup to premium increases. Historically, this has only been a couple, or at most three, years. So, eventually everybody winds up paying the same premium. The decrease in your Social Security benefit due to filing early over your lifetime can easily exceed the temporary relief of a Medicare premium increase.
Best,
Mike