Mon, Apr 30, 2012
Social Security and Medicare accounted for 36% of federal spending in fiscal 2011, say the program's trustees. Through the mid-2030s, population aging and lower-birth-rate generations entering the workforce will cause costs to grow faster than GDP.
Tue, Feb 28, 2012
Although Boomers cite uncovered healthcare expenses (80%) and becoming ill (74%) as their top financial concerns about retirement, many appear to be taking a “learn as you go” approach to understanding Medicare’s coverage and costs.
Tue, Feb 28, 2012
The latest Merrill Lynch Affluent Insights Survey showed that 73% of the affluent not yet retired viewed retirement as “a second act” during which they would work at least part-time.
Wed, Sep 14, 2011
Most people dread nursing homes. 83% of Americans age 50 and older would rather survive five years at home than 10 years in a nursing home.
Tue, Sep 06, 2011
Between 2000 and 2009, the share of compensation gains provided in the form of more expensive benefits ranged from 35.2% to 60.8% for U.S. workers, depending on their level of income, according to Towers Watson.
Tue, Aug 30, 2011
“Medicare beneficiaries with high outpatient drug use would be most affected by repeal and would need to save an additional roughly 30‒40 percent to make up the shortfall,” said EBRI’s Paul Fronstin, lead author of the report.
Tue, Apr 26, 2011
You can save more than $10,000 a year by sharing a room with someone else, according to the 2011 Cost of Care survey by John Hancock Financial.
Mon, Apr 11, 2011
Congressman Paul Ryan's approach to the budget makes sense only if you think America should function like a corporation and that Medicare payments are income for beneficiaries. Nix to both ideas.
Tue, Mar 01, 2011
The concept of the individual health insurance mandate originated in 1989 at the conservative Heritage Foundation, according to the website Procon.org.
Tue, Jan 25, 2011
Forget "death panels." Loving, decisive words from a doctor helped this dying pianist decide to let go of her life. The conclusion of a two-part story.
Wed, Jan 19, 2011
For the very old and their families, preservation of life often competes with preservation of finances. Here's how one California family coped with an elderly mother's death. (The first of two parts.)
Tue, Jan 11, 2011
More than one-third of Americans ages 45 to 70 are worried about running out of money during retirement, but only 20% plan to purchase any form of guaranteed lifetime income.
Tue, Jan 11, 2011
Health spending rose only 4% in 2009 to $2.5 trillion, or $8,086 per person, down from 4.7% in 2008. Consumers spent $299.3 billion out-of-pocket on health care, up 0.4%.
Wed, Dec 15, 2010
A Medicaid annuity allows a couple to zero out its assets, qualify for subsidized long-term care for the ill spouse and provide an income for the non-institutionalized spouse by putting money in a particular type of SPIA.
Tue, Nov 30, 2010
Some prior estimates have been significantly revised downward as a result of changes to Medicare Part D (prescription drug) cost sharing that will be phased in by 2020 due to the recently enacted health reform law.
Tue, Nov 23, 2010
The prevalence of retiree medical plans slid to its lowest point ever in 2010, with just 25% of large employers offering an ongoing plan to retirees under age 65.
Wed, Aug 11, 2010
“Five years ago we started translating long term care costs into square feet of real estate, to highlight the heavy burden of paying for care,” said Denise Gott, chairman of LTC Financial Partners LLC.
Wed, Jul 14, 2010
Consumers feel they could make more informed decisions if they had more information on medical procedures and options for care, the SOA found.
Tue, Jul 06, 2010
After studying the genomes of centenarians in New England, two Boston University researchers say they have identified a set of genetic variants that predicts extreme longevity with 77% accuracy.
Wed, Apr 07, 2010
If it's true that retired couples will need $350,000 on average to cover costs not covered by Medicare, Health Savings Accounts won't be large enough to do the job, says the benefits research organization.
Wed, Mar 31, 2010
With this product and others like it, the cost of LTCI is greatly reduced because the fixed annuity assets serve as a very large deductible.
Tue, Mar 30, 2010
Even good retirement plans can backfire if you do not carefully consider the effect of disability and lost earning power on retirement savings.
Thu, Mar 25, 2010
On Wednesday, Democratic legislators had reportedly received death threats and been the victims of vandalism because they voted for the health care bill.
Wed, Feb 24, 2010
Obama wants to close the Medicare prescription drug 'donut hole' and regulate 'unreasonable' health insurance premium hikes.
Wed, Oct 28, 2009
“My own father, who had a stroke last year, has seen his prescription drug costs skyrocket," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis.
Tue, Oct 27, 2009
“By attacking waste, health care costs can be reduced without adversely affecting the quality of care or access to care,” said Robert Kelley of Thomson Reuters.
Wed, Oct 21, 2009
The assets of uninsured households declined between 30 and 50 percent among those ages 51 to 64 who experienced a major illness.
Thu, Oct 01, 2009
Only 10% of employers would support an “employer mandate” that required them to provide health insurance to employees.
Tue, Aug 25, 2009
Americans in their early 50s have twice the hypertension, obesity, and diabetes rates as Europeans.
Tue, Aug 25, 2009
'If all premiums were taxed as income, you’d get quite a disruption,' said an Urban Institute analyst.
Tue, Aug 18, 2009
Deferred annuities have lapse rates as high as 40% to 70%, but the lapse rates of LTCI/annuity hybrids could shrink to as low as one or two percent—the rates associated with LTCI policies.
Tue, Aug 04, 2009
Per capita medical spending for the obese is $1,429 higher per year, or roughly 42% higher, than for someone of normal weight, a new research study claims.
Tue, Jul 28, 2009
Doctors may choose to donate care to the needy when it suits them. But they won't let the government turn their profession into a public utility.
Wed, Jul 08, 2009
In some cases, the fixed annuity will lead the sale and in others the LTC insurance will lead the sale.
Tue, Jul 07, 2009
In this product, the adverse selection factors that plague both LTC insurance and immediate annuities would partially cancel each other out.
Tue, Jul 07, 2009
United of Omaha, Genworth Life, Bankers Life, and OneAmerica have introduced LTC/annuity hybrids in the run-up to January 1, 2010, when distributions from annuities to pay nursing home bills will be tax-free.
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RIJ Publishing, 4340 Knollwood Dr., Emmaus, PA 18049, 610-965-3103
Retirement Income Journal is an online magazine dedicated to writing for and about the industry that has coalesced around the challenge of helping Americans turn their savings into secure lifetime incomes. This industry includes members of the insurance, asset management, banking, pension, structured products, reverse mortgage, information technology, financial planning and academic communities and the professional organizations that serve them.
Send editorial queries to kerry.pechter@retirementincomejournal.com.
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