Approaching retirement on a shoestring can be a real challenge. One of the largest expenses is health care, and relocating to cut down those expenses is one strategy people consider.
If you're an advisor, you might be wondering how best to guide your clients to states where their Medicare coverage will cost substantially less.
You might be amazed to know that the cost varies substantially from state to state, largely because of supplemental insurance premiums — and the difference can amount to thousands of dollars, especially over time.
(Related on ThinkAdvisor: 10 Most Expensive States for Retiement Health Care)
Good news: a new app from HealthView Services lets financial advisors see how much their clients might need in years to come. The HealthView Explorer app uses HealthView Services' advisor- and physician-reviewed methodology to project retirement health care costs and draws on data from 50 million health care cases to project health care costs by age and state for individuals retiring at 65.
HealthView very kindly filled us in on which are the 10 most expensive and 10 cheapest states for health care in retirement.
When reviewing the numbers on each state, please remember how they were generated: costs are for Medicare Part B premiums, Medicare Part D premiums, and supplemental insurance premiums.
Surcharges for exceeding retirement modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) thresholds are not included. Projections reflect costs for a healthy 65-year-old retiring today, living through age 84, totaling 20 years in retirement.
This slideshow gives the good news — which 10 states are cheapest. If you're lucky enough to live in one of these states already and just want to gloat about how much money you're saving, check out our list of the 10 most expensive states.
10. North Dakota
North Dakota costs retirees more than its like-named neighbor to the south, with 20 years' worth of health care premiums running $133,765.
That's still relatively inexpensive in the grand scheme of things. Plus you'll be able to visit the International Peace Garden and nip over the border into Manitoba — the garden crosses the international boundary between the U.S. and Canada.
9. Montana
Big Sky Country is also Big Bargain Country, with 20 years of healthcare premiums costing $133,503.
It also offers the attractions of Glacier National Park — something you may not want to wait 20 years to see lest it be renamed Ice Cube National Park as the climate changes — and the Rocky Mountains.
8. Iowa
If you're into American Gothic, you might want to check out Grant Wood's home state while saving money on your health care premiums.
In 20 years they'll cost $132,618, leaving enough to visit the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, where you'll be able to see some of Wood's paintings.
7. South Dakota
As you now know, both Dakotas made the 10 cheapest states for health care premiums, which is a good thing.
So it depends on whether you'd like to be further north or further south. In South Dakota, 20 years of premiums will cost you $131,654, and you'll have the lure of the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore to coax you.
