As you approach retirement, there are several big decisions to make. These include when to start taking Social Security, how much income to withdraw from your retirement accounts and where to find health insurance in retirement. These choices, and their interconnections, can have a profound impact on your future financial situation.
If you retire before age 65 and lose your employer-sponsored plan, you may choose to pay for private insurance in the Marketplace or buy a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan. The premiums and out-of-pocket costs vary by state. These costs can be substantial, especially if you are in relatively poor health or have high healthcare utilization expected in retirement.
The decline in retiree health benefits began in the mid-1980s when new accounting rules required companies to include long-term liabilities for post-employment health care on their balance sheets. As a result, many firms that previously offered retiree coverage closed their plans rather than face the prospect of higher long-term liability expenses.
Retirees who wish to keep their employer-sponsored health coverage and enroll in Medicare may do so through the annual general enrollment period, which runs from Jan. 1 to March 31 each year. If you retire during that period, your coverage will begin the month following your enrollment. The elimination of the so-called “subsidy cliff” through 2023 has eased the transition for early retirees who would otherwise be required to wait months to get health insurance in the marketplace.
Even though the number of employers offering retiree health insurance is decreasing, it’s still an important part of some employees’ retirement savings and planning. In fact, 66 percent of larger firms reported that they offer health benefits to retirees at some time in the past see Figure 1.
The type of plan you have will determine your coverage options. For example, a healthier retiree who values lower premiums and prefers to stay with a single provider network may opt for Medicare Advantage. A retiree with high current or projected future healthcare utilization might prefer a more traditional plan like Original Medicare or a Medigap policy.
As you prepare for retirement See more, it’s important to consider how rising healthcare costs could affect your budget and lifestyle in later life. By including this risk in your budgeting and planning, you can position yourself to avoid costly surprises and enjoy a financially healthy retirement.
Health care costs can increase rapidly, making it difficult for a healthy retiree to keep pace. By focusing on saving before retirement and minimizing withdrawals from IRAs and other retirement assets during early retirement, you can help mitigate these risks.
In addition to considering the effect of healthcare costs on your budget and lifestyle, you should also consider the potential for significant medical bills in your later years. These costs can create stress in your retirement and have a negative impact on your financial independence and quality of life. In some cases, they can even jeopardize your ability to retire.