Health care inflation continues to eat away at retirement budgets

MIDDLETON, MA, February 5, 2026 – HealthView Services 2026 Retirement Healthcare Costs Data Report and Supplemental Data Fact Sheet show that health care inflation is not going away anytime soon and will eat into retirement budgets. The new report highlights the long-term impact of retirement health care cost inflation across Medicare Part B, Part D, Medigap, Medicare Advantage and related out-of-pocket expenses.

Despite legislative efforts to address rising expenses, health-related cost inflation is expected to remain stubbornly high with a projected long-term inflation rate of 5.8%, while Social Security COLAs are projected to rise at 2.4%.

Underscoring the challenge facing retirees, the report details that in 2026 Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage premiums directly deducted from Social Security increased by 9.7%, and the Social Security COLA was 3.2%. It also notes that the national average Medicare Advantage inflation rate was 6.6% - reflecting the combined impact of higher Part B premiums deducted from benefits and additional Medicare Advantage premiums to cover drugs and other services.

“After a decade of publishing these data reports, the cost of health-related care in retirement still comes with sticker shock,” said Ron Mastrogiovanni, CEO of HealthView Services. “The report serves as a somewhat chilling reminder of the limited impact of legislative changes to reduce the burden of these costs, and that retirees will need a growing portion of future Social Security benefits to cover their expenses.”

Underscoring these trends, the report notes that since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, which reduced the cap on catastrophic prescription drug costs, Part D drug-related premiums have increased by 50%, and the decades-long trend of healthcare costs increasing at a rate of 1.5-2 times the consumer price index used to calculate COLAs remains in place.

HealthView Services’ national actuarial data show that for an average healthy 65-year-old couple, total annual healthcare costs for traditional Medicare programs commonly selected by advised clients, which includes Parts B, D, Medigap (Plan G), dental premiums, and all out of pocket expenses, will rise from $17,003 in the first year of retirement to $55,513 at 85 years-old, assuming average longevity of 88 (male) and 90 (female). Over their lifetimes, total expected healthcare costs will amount to $661,812 in today’s dollars or $955,411 (future value).

The report details the importance of planning for expenses at an individual level to ensure key variables including health condition, income, state of residence and gender are accounted for. Lifetime costs for the same couple project to be as high as $1,053,252 living in Missouri, or as low as $878,565 in Washington State. The projected costs for an individual or couple with Type 2 diabetes would be significantly lower due to shorter life expectancy. These projections exclude long-term care costs, which the supplemental data details.

HealthView Services’ Retirement Healthcare Cost Index launched in 2017 compares healthcare expenses to Social Security benefits. An average 65-year-old couple can expect to receive lifetime Social Security benefits of $802,233, based on a combined PIA of $3,183. As the Supplemental Data Fact Sheet outlines, 84% of these benefits will be required to address their projected total lifetime healthcare costs. A similar 55-year-old couple will need 104% of Social Security to cover these expenses, and a 45-year-old couple twenty-years from retirement will need 129% of their benefits.

The report highlights specific challenges facing women who on average receive around 75% of the Social Security retirement benefits of men; will live on average at least two years longer; and will incur around 15% higher retirement healthcare costs largely because of their extra longevity. When a partner passes away, women from more affluent households potentially face the dual challenges of lower retirement income and higher Medicare premium surcharges based on MAGI.

“Given the complexity of retirement healthcare choices, Americans planning for retirement need expert help from advisors,” added Michael Daley, HealthView Services’ Head of Research and Marketing. “The actuarial cost projections HealthView Services provides for individuals and couples are the starting point for building retirement plans that account for healthcare needs in retirement.”