BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Fidelity Investments® today announced its 21st annual Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate, revealing that a 65-year-old couple retiring this year can expect to spend an average of $315,000 in health care and medical expenses throughout retirement1. The 2022 estimate for single retirees is $150,000 for men and $165,000 for women. Fidelity’s estimate assumes both members of the couple are enrolled in traditional Medicare, which between Medicare Part A and Part B covers expenses such as hospital stays, doctor visits and services, physical therapy, lab tests and more, and in Medicare Part D, which covers prescription drugs.
“Even as many Americans look to turn the page on the events of the last two years, staying informed on potential future health care costs should remain a top factor when planning for retirement,” said Hope Manion, senior vice president, Fidelity Workplace Consulting. “At Fidelity, we understand the anxiety as health care issues can feel unpredictable. However, by planning early and saving consistently, people can put themselves in a much stronger position to retire how and when they want.”
Designed to inform Americans on the importance of planning and saving early, the Fidelity Retiree Health Care Cost Estimate was first calculated in 2002 to build greater awareness of the estimated health care costs as individuals approach retirement. This year’s estimate is up 5% from 2021 ($300,000) and has nearly doubled from its original $160,000 in 2002.
This year’s analysis generates both “good” and “bad” news. First, the bad: Americans are generally out of sync with the expected total cost of health care in retirement. In fact, according to Fidelity research, on average, Americans estimate a couple retiring this year will spend just $41,000 on health care expenses in retirement. This is $274,000 less than Fidelity’s analysis. Additionally, more than two-thirds (68%) are under the impression that associated costs will remain under $25,0002.
Once respondents of the research were informed of Fidelity’s estimate, a staggering 70% of respondents say they feel unprepared to cover health care expenses during retirement.3 However, there is still good news: the number of people who feel prepared increases when the person has an HSA. In fact, nearly half (47%) of HSA holders feel prepared for their health care retirement expenses, compared to just 27% of people who do not have an HSA.