April 05, 2009 at 08:00 PM
A 65-year-old couple retiring in 2008 may need about $240,000 to cover medical costs in retirement.
Consultants at Fidelity Investments, Boston, published that estimate in Fidelity’s latest post-retirement health cost forecast.
The latest estimate is 6.7% higher than the estimate Fidelity published in 2008.
Since Fidelity first calculated the cost in 2002, the figure has risen a total of 50%.
The estimate does not include the cost of over-the-counter medications, most dental services or long term care.
The estimate assumes individuals do not have employer-sponsored retiree health coverage. It does include the expenses associated with Medicare Part B and D premiums, Medicare cost-sharing provisions and prescription drug out-of-pocket costs.
The rise in costs between 2008 and 2009 is due in part to increases in the cost of services, such as diagnostic tests; the cost of using new medical technology; and general price inflation.
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