An apple a day keeps the doctor away – and spares you the bill for medical services. Does this logic carry over into lifetime health care planning? Can you reduce your lifetime health care costs by staying healthy?
Apparently not. The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College has revealed the counterintuitive finding that married couples who are the healthiest at age 65 – that is, those with no chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, or heart disease – end up spending more on health care over their lifetime than their unhealthy counterparts. The brief, “Does Staying Healthy Reduce Your Lifetime Health Care Costs?,” shows that although the current health care costs of healthy retirees are lower than those of the unhealthy, the healthy actually face higher total health care costs over their remaining lifetime.
View the PDFCan You Reduce Your Lifetime Health Care Costs by Staying Healthy? –Elaine Floyd, CFP®
Elaine Floyd, CFP®, is the Director of Retirement and Life Planning, Horsesmouth, LLC., where she focuses on helping people understand the practical and technical aspects of retirement income planning.