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Retirement at 62 and Insurance/medication costs

Posted on 4/13/26 at 3:14 pm
Posted by Amblin
Member since Sep 2011
3054 posts
Posted on 4/13/26 at 3:14 pm
For those that retired at 62 with spouse a few years younger who does not have insurance, how much is your monthly or yearly insurance costs for both of you and are your medications a lot higher even with an insurance plan? I have some pretty high medications like insulin, etc.
Posted by CharlesUFarley
Daphne, AL
Member since Jan 2022
1045 posts
Posted on 4/14/26 at 7:49 am to
I retired slightly before age 56 but went back to work last year at age 60. I used Obamacare. It is very expensive, but it may be your only option. It worked for me because the first two years were free because I lost my job during the Covid era. The best way to approach it is to try to manage your income so that you can qualify for a subsidy. Even with a subsidy, expect all your costs to go up. Also, beware the subsidy cliff.
Posted by Jmcc64
alabama
Member since Apr 2021
2113 posts
Posted on 4/14/26 at 8:25 am to
does that include un earned income?
Posted by CharlesUFarley
Daphne, AL
Member since Jan 2022
1045 posts
Posted on 4/14/26 at 8:31 am to
Yes.

It uses a figure called Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). It includes Social Security and tax-exempt income plus all the normal income.

It does not include Roth distributions, and things like HSA contributions and IRA contributions, if you can take one, will reduce it.

I was younger than 59.5 until Jan 2025. I withdrew some of my Roth contributions to keep my MAGI down.
Posted by NC_Tigah
Make Orwell Fiction Again
Member since Sep 2003
138109 posts
Posted on 4/14/26 at 8:36 am to
quote:

I have some pretty high medications like insulin, etc.
Your medications and pre-existings won't be a driver.

Healthcare marketplace plan rules prevent insurers from varying your premium based on pre-existing conditions like diabetes, or what medications you take. The ACA is highly subsidized though. So your income will drive costs. If you are high enough in that regard, you'll get to pay for your insurance, your wife's and a few others in the market. Unsubsidized plans are ridiculously expensive.

I'd recommend seeking out a healthcare insurance advisor (a "Healthcare Sherpa") to help navigate that. They are excellent, free to you, and can direct you to options you'd otherwise not even know existed. That should clear up price and coverage options in advance so you can plan accordingly.
Posted by NC_Tigah
Make Orwell Fiction Again
Member since Sep 2003
138109 posts
Posted on 4/14/26 at 8:37 am to
quote:

does that include un earned income?
It does.
Posted by KWL85
Member since Mar 2023
3740 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 9:25 am to
A necessary evil associated with retiring early. We have been paying $2k/month for a policy with a $7k deductible. Wife just hit 65 to cut premium down to $1k for myself. We have real estate income that is a big part of why our premiums are high.
Posted by ronricks
Member since Mar 2021
11922 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 9:33 am to
quote:

medications


First step is to change your diet, habits, and lifestyle and get off as many medications as possible. Most 'medications' just allow you to continue very bad practices and stay alive.
Posted by CharlesUFarley
Daphne, AL
Member since Jan 2022
1045 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 10:00 am to
quote:

First step is to change your diet, habits, and lifestyle and get off as many medications as possible. Most 'medications' just allow you to continue very bad practices and stay alive.



None of that will change the cost of Obamacare, nor will it eliminate the necessity of it.
Posted by ronricks
Member since Mar 2021
11922 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 10:07 am to
quote:

None of that will change the cost of Obamacare, nor will it eliminate the necessity of it.


Wut?

Why even use 'Obamacare'? The deductibles and premiums are so high you might as well not even have insurance. Its garbage.
Posted by Bow08tie
Louisiana
Member since Oct 2011
4559 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 12:09 pm to
It’s basically insurance for major medical events not ordinary type medical events.
Posted by CharlesUFarley
Daphne, AL
Member since Jan 2022
1045 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 3:12 pm to
quote:

Wut? Why even use 'Obamacare'? The deductibles and premiums are so high you might as well not even have insurance. Its garbage.


Because I have seen bankruptcy up close and personal, and I am not going to let that happen to me. You shouldn't either.
Posted by KWL85
Member since Mar 2023
3740 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 3:57 pm to
quote:

Wut? ? ?

Why even use 'Obamacare'? The deductibles and premiums are so high you might as well not even have insurance. Its garbage.


You are uninformed. Maybe you don't have any money to protect. A car wreck or a case of cancer could wipe out your wealth without insurance. Many insurance plans are weak for everyday type issues, but provide protection for major medical ones.

Obamacare has plenty of areas that can be improved, but has there been a better option put in place in the past 50 years? Nope. Every other administration failed to do anything. I would vote for any president or other politicians that would make this a priority.
Posted by weadjust
Member since Aug 2012
15740 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 4:29 pm to
quote:

Why even use 'Obamacare'? The deductibles and premiums are so high you might as well not even have insurance. Its garbage.


My sister retired at 55 and signed up for Obama care. She lived in AL & selected the Blue Cross gold plan & cost was about
$900 a month. Deductible & max out of pocket was $8000.

6 months into retirement she got cancer. Blue Cross paid 100% of her bills over the max out of pocket. She was at MD Anderson for 6 months. She died after about 18 months of all kinds of treatment & med care. Obama Blue Cross was excellent.

This post was edited on 4/15/26 at 4:35 pm
Posted by NOSHAU
Member since Feb 2012
13649 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 4:51 pm to
quote:

Wut?

Why even use 'Obamacare'? The deductibles and premiums are so high you might as well not even have insurance. Its garbage.
I assume you are just a bad troll.
Posted by ronricks
Member since Mar 2021
11922 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 5:30 pm to
quote:

I assume you are just a bad troll.


Obamacare is ‘good’ now? Being a fat obese diabetic slob on a litany of medications is ‘good’ now? Listen to yourself. I’m not the one using mental gymnastics to try and justify things we know are terrible.
Posted by weptiger
Georgia
Member since Feb 2007
11761 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 9:21 pm to
For ACA/Obamacare, you have to manage your income to a specific state defined level. If you exceed that level plan on giving back some of those subsidies back at tax time.

It’s not a terrible thing if you are aware of what is transpiring with the subsidies, which lower the cost, but expose you to basically refund some portion of the subsidy if your income creeps up while on Obama care.
Posted by CharlesUFarley
Daphne, AL
Member since Jan 2022
1045 posts
Posted on 4/15/26 at 9:54 pm to
quote:

Being a fat obese diabetic slob on a litany of medications is ‘good’ now?


When I saw that symbol beside your user name, I knew I was likely dealing with an a--hole.

quote:

bamacare is ‘good’ now?


No, dumba--, it's not good, it's just the only thing available to the OP that is actually close to traditional health insurance.
Posted by StreamsOfWhiskey
The Woodlands, TX
Member since Jun 2013
891 posts
Posted on 4/16/26 at 6:18 am to
Following. I’m a Type 1 retiring soon at age of 54.
Posted by Sunnyvale
Little ST. James
Member since Feb 2024
3142 posts
Posted on 4/16/26 at 6:36 am to
This is scary. Im old, but not that old. But this is eye opening.
Was never planning on being able to retire.
But. Yikes.
This post was edited on 4/16/26 at 6:37 am
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