Foundations of Healthcare Planning in Retirement

Healthcare is consistently one of the most underestimated expenses in retirement, and a lack of understanding about Medicare — its parts, its gaps, its enrollment deadlines — leads to costly mistakes that follow retirees for years. Building a clear mental model of the retirement healthcare landscape before you need it is one of the highest-value planning activities available. By the end of this course you will be able to explain how Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D work together, describe the coverage gap that Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies are designed to fill, compare Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage on structure and trade-offs, explain how a Health Savings Account interacts with retirement healthcare costs, and identify the major types of long-term care and how they are funded. What you will learn: - Medicare Part A: what it covers, what it costs, and the hospital deductible and coinsurance structure that creates significant out-of-pocket exposure - Medicare Part B: the standard premium, income-related adjustment (IRMAA), and what outpatient coverage actually includes - Medicare Part D: how prescription drug plans are structured, the formulary concept, and the coverage phases including catastrophic coverage - Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies: how they fill the gaps in Original Medicare and what the lettered plan types cover - Medicare Advantage (Part C): how bundled private plans work, their network restrictions, and how to compare them to Original Medicare plus a supplement - Medicare enrollment: initial enrollment periods, special enrollment periods, and the late enrollment penalties that apply if you miss them - Health Savings Accounts in retirement: how HSA funds can be used for Medicare premiums, long-term care insurance premiums, and out-of-pocket medical expenses - Long-term care: the spectrum of care settings (in-home, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing), their costs, and the primary funding mechanisms The course proceeds through five reading modules with annotated coverage comparison tables, premium examples, and enrollment timeline illustrations. Reflection prompts ask you to map your own Medicare enrollment timeline and estimate your current HSA balance relative to projected healthcare costs. This course is designed for workers within fifteen years of retirement and recent retirees who are new to Medicare and healthcare cost planning. No prior knowledge of insurance or healthcare systems is required. This course is educational and informational; it does not substitute for advice from a licensed insurance agent, Medicare counselor, or financial advisor.