Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby (Post 2034846)

I don't know where you read this, but I'll use your own post for data and just assume it's true, hypothetically, to show you the flaw in the title of your thread.

You say the average social security benefit is $1487/month.
Then you say 44% of Medicare recipients reported spending between $160 and $495/month on health care.

So the lowest that 44% of Medicare recipients are spending is $160/month. What is the lowest that this specific 44% of Medicare recipients are getting in Social Security benefits?

The highest that 44% are paying is $495/month. What is the highest monthly SS benefit for this particular 44% group?

What about the other 56% of Social Security recipients? That would be "the majority." How much are THEY spending on Medicare? Or are they not spending anything at all? How does this 44% minority compare in SS benefits to the 56% majority?

Furthermore, there are thousands of people receiving social security benefits, who do not qualify for Medicare. I'll be one of them in 18 months, because that's when I turn 62. You have to be 65 for Medicare, but you only have to be 62 for SS checks. I get my health insurance on the Marketplace and with my reward credits from Better You Strides, my premium is under $100/month. This past year I paid nothing, except for three months when I paid $87 for each month. Last year I paid nothing at all because of those credits.

Social security benefits are up +/- $70/month. Medicare increases will be less than $70/month. So you'll still get a bigger check than you did previously.

Originally Posted by rmd2 (Post 2034883)

I just got my new Social Security statement for 2022. My monthly Social Security decreased $10 from $121 to $111 and my monthly Medicare payment increased from $208 to $238 for a total loss this coming year of $40 a month. And EVERYTHING has gone up in price!

Originally Posted by DAVES (Post 2035137)

Re: 62 for social security and 65 for medicare.
You no longer have the option to at 65 chose to pay back what you have collected and then take the higher 65 amount. You can, if you can afford to do so retire at 62 but not collect social security at 65. I regularly tease, all you need to know is when you will die, what will kill you, the rate of inflation and return on your savings and you can decide what makes the most sense to do. Only problem we know none of them.

Re: Medicare
It is spooky what private healthcare costs. If, you do not have coverage from employment a guess is for three years 25,000 a year or 75,000 that has to come from savings. OUCH.

Originally Posted by NAB20 (Post 2035095)

I have read similar information before, but that type of analysis does not make much sense because they are not comparing the dollars you paid in with what those dollars would be if invested an compounded values. Would like to see someone do that. It would be more accurate.

Originally Posted by Rainger99 (Post 2034807)

I just read that Social Security benefits are going up 5.9 percent next year which is the highest in 40 years. However, the premiums for Medicare Part B (which covers doctors’ visits) for 2022 is going up 14.5 percent. The standard monthly premium will go from $148.50 to $170.10. The average monthly Social Security benefit is about $1,487 and 44% of Medicare recipients reported spending between $160 and $495 a month on health care.

Originally Posted by rmd2 (Post 2034883)

I just got my new Social Security statement for 2022. My monthly Social Security decreased $10 from $121 to $111 and my monthly Medicare payment increased from $208 to $238 for a total loss this coming year of $40 a month. And EVERYTHING has gone up in price!

Originally Posted by DAVES (Post 2035137)

Re: 62 for social security and 65 for medicare.
You no longer have the option to at 65 chose to pay back what you have collected and then take the higher 65 amount. You can, if you can afford to do so retire at 62 but not collect social security at 65. I regularly tease, all you need to know is when you will die, what will kill you, the rate of inflation and return on your savings and you can decide what makes the most sense to do. Only problem we know none of them.

Re: Medicare
It is spooky what private healthcare costs. If, you do not have coverage from employment a guess is for three years 25,000 a year or 75,000 that has to come from savings. OUCH.

Originally Posted by LianneMigiano (Post 2035024)

A recent article in the Daily Sun stated that most people recoup all of the money that was deducted from their paychecks within 3 to 5 years (the ones at the top of the pay scale being the ones taking 5 years to recoup)! I, for one, am grateful for my Social Security benefits....

Originally Posted by Rainger99 (Post 2034807)

I just read that Social Security benefits are going up 5.9 percent next year which is the highest in 40 years. However, the premiums for Medicare Part B (which covers doctors’ visits) for 2022 is going up 14.5 percent. The standard monthly premium will go from $148.50 to $170.10. The average monthly Social Security benefit is about $1,487 and 44% of Medicare recipients reported spending between $160 and $495 a month on health care.

Originally Posted by manaboutown (Post 2035002)

Despite the raise IRMAA will hit me hard enough to reduce my 2022 monthly SS payment about $100 from the payment I am receiving this year which is also subject to IRMAA.

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2035211)

No need to guess---FL blue, single coverage, nothing rated up---1332.30/mo=15,987.60/yr----and that's with a 7,000 deductible----OUCH

Originally Posted by merrymini (Post 2034959)

Somebody has to pay for healthcare for all those illegals.

Originally Posted by MDLNB (Post 2035062)

Naw, SS won't go broke. That's why we have Covid, so that the OLD can be thinned out and be less of a burden on those behind us. More money in the coffers to be borrowed from, and maybe a bit left over for those younger retiring behind us.