It’s estimated that 95% of seniors are paying too much for Medicare coverage. Today, men and women who retire at 65 can anticipate living another 25, 30 or even 40 years – all of those years receiving Medicare benefits and contributing to them. On this week’s WEALTHTRACK, healthcare expert Katy Votava, president of Goodcare.com and author of Making the Most of Medicare explains what you need to know to maximize those benefits and avoid overpaying.
WEALTHTRACK Episode #1144; Originally Broadcast on April 24, 2015
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Especially for WEALTHTRACK viewers, Katy Votava is offering a 25% discount on purchases of her ebook Making the Most of Medicare: A Guide for Baby Boomers. See the BOOKSHELF section below for details
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KATY VOTAVA
- Founder & President,
- Goodcare.com
It took more than 15 years, but it finally happened. The NASDAQ Composite Index closed above its previous peak reached on March 10th of 2000. The new high is 5056.06, a mere 7.44 points above the old close of 5048.62.
I don’t know anyone who is breaking out the champagne. According to The Wall Street Journal, in real, inflation adjusted terms the index is still lagging far behind: “It would have to top 6891.93 to surpass its March 2000 high, using January CPI data.”
This week, we are focusing on maximizing Medicare benefits for you and your loved ones. It is estimated that 90-95% of Americans pay too much for Medicare coverage. We want to make sure you are not one of them!
Our mission on WEALTHTRACK from the beginning has been to help you build financial security for a lifetime. The greatest unknown in planning for that goal is life expectancy. Today, men and women who retire at 65 can anticipate living another 25, 30 or even 40 years, all of those years receiving Medicare benefits and contributing to them.
According to a recent report in InvestmentNews, the life expectancy of a 65-year-old man increased two years between 2000 and 2014 alone, from 84.6 to 86.6. Longevity for a 65-year-old woman rose 2.4 years during the same period, from 86.4 to 88.8.
Needless to say, every individual is different. But one thing is certain, as we age, we use more healthcare services. We see more doctors and visit them more frequently. We take more medications. We undergo more procedures and we often need more help. Older Americans cite medical expenses as their largest expense outside of food and shelter, much higher than the general population.
This week’s guest, Katy Votava, estimates that Americans 65 and older spend an average of 13% of their after-tax income on out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
Medicare is at the core of those expenditures, which is why understanding Medicare and maximizing its benefits is so important in the financial planning process, yet it is often taken for granted and overlooked.
No more! This week we are going to get some expert guidance from Katy Votava, Founder and President of Goodcare.com, a healthcare consulting firm for individuals, small businesses and financial planners. Votava is a registered nurse with a PhD in health economics and nursing. She is a regular columnist for InvestmentNews, a leading publication for financial planners and the author of a new ebook, Making the Most of Medicare: A Guide for Baby Boomers, which I highly recommend for anyone interested in navigating the Medicare system.
Especially for WEALTHTRACK viewers, Votava is offering a 25% discount on this valuable guide. You can click here to purchase it. Just be sure to enter the discount code WT25.
As usual, the show will air on Public Television this Friday and over the weekend. You can check your local listings here. If it’s easier for you to watch the show online, it’s available to our PREMIUM viewers right now. Otherwise, it will be available on our website over the weekend. In our EXTRAfeature, you can also see our exclusive online segment with Votava about how she turned her career in health services into a thriving business.
Have a great weekend and make the week ahead a profitable and productive one.
Best Regards,
Consuelo
TAKE SOME TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE MEDICARE OPTIONS FOR YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES
ENROLL IN MEDICARE ON TIME
- Approaching 65?
- Prepare to enroll for Medicare Part A & B
- Enrollment window is 3 months before 65th birthday until 3 months after 65th birthday
MEDICARE RESOURCES
- General Information: Medicare.gov or 1800-MEDICARE
- Personal Plan Information: MyMedicare.gov
- Specific Location Information: Eldercare.gov
Especially for WEALTHTRACK viewers, Katy Votava is offering a 25% discount on purchases of her ebook Making the Most of Medicare: A Guide for Baby Boomers.
Click here to purchase, and enter the discount code WT25
VOTAVA: RETIREMENT HEALTHCARE
Contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Tax-free when used for your health care
- Bank account in your name
- Rolls over year to year
No stock mentions in this episode.
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HEALTHY CAREER
Talk about identifying a need and filling it! Katy Votava is a registered nurse with a PhD in health economics and nursing. How do you turn that combination of credentials into a business? She explains how she created her healthcare consulting firm, GoodCare.com.
