[Toymeister]

If you are healthy and since you state retire early, meaning all discussion on Medicare is not relevant, consider a HDCP.

High deductable health care plan. Under this plan the first 3500 is on you but they 'give' you 2,400 towards that. After the 3,500 deductible it covers 80-85%, in other words it works like blue cross. The real kicker is you can save 3,600 (self) 7,200 family, State (n/a) and federal tax free. You choose the financial institution where that is saved and how it is invested. That money is yours forever.

So let's do the math.

The donut hole of no coverage is 1,200. If you saved 7,200 you saved 1,584 in taxes and you saved $Xxx.xx on health care premiums. If you are healthy and didn't use the 'allowance' from the HDCP it rolls over year to year. So next year you might not have a donut hole at all, but you still can save 1,584 in income tax.