MEDICARE GETS A LOT of criticism these days. Some view it as socialized medicine. Others fret over the hospital trust fund, which covers Medicare Part A and is expected to run out of money by 2036.
Meanwhile, some policymakers want to cut back on traditional Medicare and promote privatization through Medicare Advantage plans, otherwise known as Part C. That reflects the philosophy that health care costs, access and quality will be improved if we obtain health care as we do other goods,

This may be a stretch for the forum but I’m going to throw it out there and hope it helps someone.
When my first wife told me that I held my breath while sleeping I didn’t think much about it. Then Chris (new wife) told me that I stop breathing and probably have apnea, and should do a sleep study.
So I did. And I hated it. Dozens of wires attached all over my body. The worst of them on my head,

For us Medicare types, it’s that Part D time of year again. In mid-September I received an email from our Part D insurer, Aetna Silverscript, saying I could see the Annual Notice of Change online. I did so and got a shock. My wife’s and my monthly premiums were going from $9.80 each to $44.80 each beginning in January 2025.
I did a little reading online, and contacted our broker, and learned that due to some recent legislation Part D plans were in for some big changes in 2025.

There appear to be many wealthy folks trying to live longer. Billionaires, including Jeff Bezos, are making large investments in the research of the aging process. I read about one tech entrepreneur who spends $2 million a year in an attempt to turn back the clock.
Equinox, an upscale gym, offers a $40,000 a year membership that helps you live “100 healthy years.” It includes biomarkers and fitness tests to measure your health. Then they use the data to create your own personalized health and fitness plan that includes coaches and trainers.

If the neighbors told you they were saving for retirement, would you go ahead and recommend specific investments, without asking any further questions?
That’s been my life since the world learned about my cancer diagnosis. Strangers, who know nothing about the details of my relatively rare variation of lung cancer, have sent me messages telling me the doctors I should see, the cancer centers I should visit, the books I should read, the diets I should follow,

It was a halting and sleepless night. The latest Covid vaccine just became available. I got my jab yesterday. I felt great when I turned off the WNBA game at 10:30. I awoke at midnight with aching bones and a fever, and what sleep I managed to get was hit and miss.
Oh I know there are vaccine deniers out there that think that I’m stupid to get the shot, I respect that, but I’ve lost a half dozen friends and clients to the sickness,

HUGE AMOUNTS OF TIME and money are spent planning for retirement. The focus is almost entirely financial—running the numbers, so to speak. How much do I need to save to retire by age 65? Can I retire with my current nest egg? What are the chances I’ll run out of money?
No doubt these are the sorts of questions that keep HumbleDollar readers up at night. And, yes, the numbers are important.

In May of 1974, I took a trip to Israel, Greece and London with my parents and one of my sisters. I was in sixth grade at the time. Prior to our departure, I gave my parents a hard time about making me go on a trip during the school year. I was unhappy about missing two weeks of school and having to make up all that homework.
I’d collected my assignments for the upcoming two weeks from all my teachers with the exception of my social studies teacher,

I NEVER PURCHASED long-term-care insurance, even though the personal finance magazine I wrote for in the 1990s often recommended it. To the magazine’s editors, it seemed like another logical step in retirement preparation. I had two reasons to decide against it, however.
First, it seemed a huge expense. We were advised to buy it around age 60, long before any presumed decline. I was younger than that and unprepared to pay hundreds a month for decades when I didn’t know if I’d ever use the coverage.

It is reported that over  25% of those over 65 will need significant support and services for over 3 yrs during their life time. As population ages, this is going to get worse.
In-home care is very expensive. As per Genworth, the median cost of round-the clock in-home care is $290000/yr, which is 2X the median cost of nursing home or 4X the median cost of assisted living. Such costs can destroy retirement savings of  many,

I am looking to get on to Medicare early next year and while reading up on this topic, I see this line, “All plans with the same letter have the same coverage, but prices can vary based on the insurance company” repeated often regarding the Medigap policies.
For example, when I look up Plan G for my state (SC), I see that there are “47 plans” and the premiums range from a low of $90 all the way up to (gulp) $493.

Her life is slipping away as I compose this forum topic. Both her daughters, my daughters, have been camped at her bedside for the past 10 days as hospice provides comfort care until my ex-wife dies. No words of sympathy need be offered to me, she and I fell out of love a long time ago. Still, this is the person responsible for 11 beautiful family members that would not be in my life without her.

Can you identify your biggest blind spot? Sure, you’re smart. You’ve worked hard, planned ahead, marshalled your resources over the years. Heck, you even read Humble Dollar to check all the boxes.
But I can guarantee you there’s one aspect of life you haven’t considered.  Have you considered what happens as you get older and need help with your day to day life?  You see, we suffer from a lack of imagination.  With all the workouts,

We have multiple insurance programs – based on age and income, there are differences among the states, who pays how much is a mess – many seniors pay more than younger Americans at the same income level.
Enrollment periods and rules differ by type of coverage. Out of pocket costs frequently ignore ability to pay. Employers try to mask costs via FSAs, HSAs and HRAs – if you can afford to contribute. Trying to deal with out-of-pocket costs jeopardizes the ability to save for retirement.

You are planning to get another tattoo, it costs $200.
You are going to take your best friend out for fine dining, it will cost $175.
You promised your children to take them to a local theme park, $200.
You receive a bill from your doctor because you hadn’t met your deductible, $200.
Which expense is unaffordable?
Okay, a bit of a trick question, but there is no doubt the answer is nearly always the medical expense is unaffordable.