Medicare and Health Insurance

Can you afford retirement healthcare? What does Medicare cost? What about insurance before age 65? Get answers.

Health insurance or Medicare can be one of your more costly expenses. And, deciding what is best for you at various stages of your life can be confusing.

Things are pretty easy when you have coverage from your employer but it gets more complicated when you stop working and need to cover yourself. People love Medicare coverage, but it is important to know that it is far from free and getting the right supplemental coverage is tricky.

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Medicare open enrollment

Medicare Open Enrollment: Why You Need to Assess Your Insurance Annually and 13 Tips for Getting Great Coverage

It’s 2024 Medicare Open Enrollment time. Here are 13 tips for getting great coverage and lowering medical costs.

October 19, 2023
IRMAA

Medicare Surcharges (IRMAA): How the Wealthier Pay MORE for Coverage

Are you wealthy? You may be paying extra for Medicare. Find out why and how to reduce your IRMAA – Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount.

October 17, 2023
long term care and medicaid

9 Surprising (Sometimes Unsavory) Secrets About Long-Term Care, Medicaid, and Your Retirement

Here are 9 things you might not know about Medicaid and long term care, and the chances you’ll be on the program in retirement.

September 26, 2023

Will Social Security Run Out? Will Medicare Stay in Business? Get the Latest News on these Important Programs

Demographics and longevity are 2 factors causing financial woes for Social Security and Medicare. Learn if your benefits will be impacted.

April 6, 2023
what is a health savings account

What is a Health Savings Account (HSA)? And, Why It’s a Great Retirement Savings Option

What is a Health Savings Account? Explore 4 ways it saves you money and why you might want to use one for retirement savings.

October 20, 2022

The “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” and What it Means for Your Retirement

Learn how the “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” may improve your retirement? (Reduced healthcare costs and inflation reduction.)

July 28, 2022
save money on prescription drugs

15 Ways to Save Money on Prescription Drugs

Don’t throw money out the window. Explore these 15 east ways to save money on prescription drugs, especially if you are older. Read now!

July 14, 2022
medicare advantage denies coverage

Medicare Advantage Plans Too Often Deny Care and Claims: What to Do About It

A government report finds that Medicare Advantage plans are denying coverage and claims. Find out what to do about it.

May 19, 2022

12 Surprising Ways to Save on Retirement Health Care Costs

Out of pocket retirement health care costs can be outrageous. Use these 12 surprising tips for a healthier and wealthier retirement.

November 24, 2021

Pursue Dental Care Before You Retire

There’s one important task that you may be forgetting before you retire: pursuing dental care. Learn why and access a full retirement checklist.

November 3, 2021
how much does long term care insurance cost

How Much Does Long Term Care Insurance Cost? Is It Worth It?

Find real answers about long term care insurance costs, what to look out for and who benefits. Plus, alternative ways to cover these costs.

October 11, 2021
health insurance for 55 and older

Health Insurance for 55 and Older: Real Life Questions and Answers for Health Insurance Before Medicare Eligibility

Many people want to retire before they are eligible for Medicare at age 65.  However, figuring out health insurance — and how to afford that coverage — is very difficult.  Health insurance for 55 and older can be very expensive, depending on your circumstances!  And, let’s face facts, health factors are more prevalent and unpredictable…

April 21, 2021

How to Deal with Dementia or Alzheimer’s: 5 Retirement Financial Planning Steps

More than 5.5 million people have Alzheimer’s today, and as the baby boomers age, by 2050 that number is projected to triple. Additional research from the Alzheimer’s Association shows that last year millions of family and friends provided 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care — care valued at $220.2 billion — to loved ones with…

March 31, 2021
retiring before 62

Retiring at 62 or Before? 9 Ways to Cover Your Health Costs for an Early Retirement

There are a lot of hurdles to overcome when figuring out how to retire early — before 65. However, early retirement health care is one of the most fiscally challenging. Medical care is going to be expensive no matter when you retire, but the picture is more serious for those who retire early, by choice…

February 10, 2021

How a Biden Presidency Might Affect Your Retirement

Joe Biden is now President elect. There are several ways a Biden presidency might affect your retirement, including lower tax benefits on 401(k) accounts and more generous Social Security benefits. Biden’s Plan for Older Americans gives specific details on what Biden would like to do as President to overhaul the nation’s retirement system, shore up…

November 11, 2020

Changes Coming to Social Security & Medicare: Small COLA and 6 Other New Developments for 2021

To say that Social Security and Medicare are important to the financial well being of seniors would be an understatement. Sixty-two percent of eligible beneficiaries rely on Social Security income for more than half of their income. And almost everyone who is eligible uses Medicare to help fund their healthcare after 65. Here are the…

October 14, 2020
Medicare

Don’t Make These 6 Medicare Retirement Plan Mistakes

No one is born understanding how Medicare works. And just because friends or family have navigated the system well doesn’t mean you won’t hit a snag.  A solid retirement plan includes a good working knowledge of what to expect from Medicare. Because the more you know now, the less likely you’ll be to encounter these…

July 1, 2020
retirement insurance

6 Types of Insurance for a Worry Free Retirement

Saving money is hard enough. No one wants more bills to pay, especially when you’re on a fixed or limited income. But insurance is something of a necessary evil. And certain insurance plans can help you live out your golden years as worry-free as possible – a worthy investment in your well-deserved break from workaday…

June 29, 2020
make the most of medicare Close up of senior woman in checked blue shirt inside vintage pickup truck

12 Tips for a Healthy Retirement and Making the Most of Medicare

Medicare is a hugely popular program, providing health coverage to the vast majority of Americans over 65. Here are a few tricks for taking care of your health and making the most of Medicare… 1. Understand Your Medicare Options Once you turn 65, you need to make choices about your Medicare coverage. Will you choose:…

May 21, 2019
new medicare cards

9 Things You Need to Know About the New Medicare Cards

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  In response to privacy concerns about the old Medicare cards that included your Social Security number on them, Medicare is in the process of issuing new Medicare cards.  The new cards have a new number, but not much else is changing. Your wallet will hopefully…

September 5, 2018
Medicare Changes

Changes for Medicare in 2017? Some Already Done and Others in the Pipeline

Medicare is the de facto healthcare for most retirees.  You are eligible when you turn 65.  While most people like the program, it is quite complex and everything from baseline premiums to supplemental coverage and other details can change from year to year. The changes made thus far offer somewhat good news to retirees.  However,…

January 19, 2017
Medicare Open Enrollment 2016

Medicare Open Enrollment 2016: What You Need to Know

Medicare Open Enrollment 2016: Medicare open enrollment is the time period when you can buy into or switch your Medicare Advantage and/or Part D coverage.  This open enrollment period goes from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Some might argue that enrolling in Medicare is off the charts painful… It can be so hard to understand……

October 13, 2016
best states for healthcare

These Are The Best States For Health Care

What are the two most expensive and important things in retirement?  Housing and medical costs.  As such, you probably want to review this list of the best states for health care. In 2014, health spending accounted for 17.5% of the national GDP, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Even more, by 2025,…

October 13, 2016
healthcare costs in retirement

How to Plan for Healthcare Costs in Retirement: How Much Do You Need in 2016?

Retirement planning is hard. You have to account for 20-30 years of expenses that are difficult to predict and make sure you have enough money to pay for them. How to plan for healthcare costs in retirement is particularly challenging. These costs continue to rise and it is difficult to know what kind of care…

September 1, 2016

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