Health care costs are rising at an alarming rate. For seniors, the prospect of the cost of staying healthy is particularly sobering.

And no wonder—a Motley Fool report points to a HealthView Services assessment that a 66-year-old couple retiring today could end up spending more than $400,000 on health care when Medicare premiums, supplemental insurance premiums, deductibles and copays are added in. And that’s for a reasonably healthy couple.

When you factor in the cost of long-term care, the picture gets even bleaker, especially since 70 percent of seniors will need one form or another of long-term care in their lifetimes. That alone can break the bank.

But there is a bright spot (sort of) in this dim-looking future. Some states are better at keeping the costs down on senior health care than others, and thanks to GoBankingRates crunching the numbers, you can check out which states are doing well and which are doing poorly at making health care affordable for seniors.

While obviously it’s prudent to save as much as possible against the day when you’ll need care—whether LTC or because of an accident or illness that’s knocked you off your feet—you might want to consider where you live as part of your strategy to stay healthy.

If your money stretches farther for care, you’ll be better off—whereas if your home state’s medical costs will eat you alive, you might want to consider relocating, particularly after you see the disparity in costs from state to state.

The 10 least expensive states, according to the report, along with their average monthly cost for senior health care, are these:

10 least expensive states for senior health care

Average monthly senior health care cost:

1. Louisiana, $3,440

2. Missouri, $3,550

3. Oklahoma, $3,553

4. Alabama, $3,648

5. Texas, $3,650

6. Arkansas, $3,750

7. Georgia, $3,828

8. South Carolina, $3,968

9. Kansas, $3,998

10. Tennessee, $4,006

As you might expect, these states not only are cheaper for health care but have a lower cost of living overall. The 10 worst, in terms of health care costs, are these:

10 most expensive states for senior health care

The 10 most expensive ones, showing average monthly senior health care cost, follow:

Alaska, $11,343 (yes, you read that correctly);
Connecticut, $6,743;
Massachusetts, $6,611;
Hawaii, $6,259;
North Dakota, $6,228;
District of Columbia, $6,184;
New York, $6,164;
New Jersey, $6,005;
New Hampshire, $5,946;
Delaware, $5,824

Now that you have an idea of what to expect, you can better choose a retirement destination that will keep you healthy—and at lower cost.

Instant Insights /

10 states where senior health care is cheaper, dearer

More From HR Executive

Related Stories

Recommended For You