Posted on Jan 28, 2017 in
FOCUS ON FINANCE
By Keith Borgfeldt –
American workers are split about 50/50 when asked if they are confident they will have enough money to pay for medical expenses in retirement. In a 2015 survey, 42% of all workers reported they were “not too” or “not at all” confident they would have enough money to pay for their medical expenses in retirement. Fifty-six percent said they were “very” or “somewhat” confident they could pay the cost. Regardless of whether you’re confident or not, it’s important to have an idea about how much health care may cost in retirement. By putting the costs in better perspective, you might be able to better understand what you can pay for and what you can’t.
Medicare beneficiaries spent an average of $4,734 out of pocket on health care in 2010, the most recent year for which figures are available. Forty-two percent of that went to premiums and 20% to long-term care facilities.
Health-Care Breakdown
A retired household faces three types of health-care expenses:
1) A household may have the expense of premiums for Medicare Part B, which covers physician and outpatient services, and Part D, which covers drug-related expenses. Typically, Part B and Part D are taken out of a person’s Social Security check before it is mailed, so the premium cost is often overlooked by retirement-minded individuals.
2) The household should expect to pay for co-payments related to Medicare-covered services that are not paid by Medigap or other health insurance.
3) The retired household should expect to pay for dental care, eyeglasses and hearing aids, which are typically not covered by Medicare or other insurance programs.
It All Adds Up
According to a HealthView Services study using more than 50 million
actual cases, a healthy married couple, age 65, can expect these health care expenses to add up to $267,000 over their lifetime. If you include dental, vision, co-pays and out-of-pocket costs, the total rises to $395,000.
For a healthy 55-year-old couple who plans to retire in a decade, the number jumps to $464,000.
Should you expect to pay this amount? Possibly. Seeing the results of one study may help you make some critical decisions when creating a strategy for retirement. Without a solid approach, health-care expenses may add up quickly and alter your retirement spending.
Fast Fact: Nursing Home Costs. In 2015, the national average rate for a private room in a nursing home was $92,378 a year. The national average rate for a semi-private room in a nursing home was $82,125.
If you have questions about how health care costs will affect your retirement or the retirement of someone you love, please call us at 281-494-1600.
Keith Borgfeldt is president and owner of Spartan Wealth Management, LLC. Securities and investment advisory services offered through NEXT Financial Group, Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC. Spartan Wealth Management, LLC is not an affiliate of NEXT Financial Group.
