Health Care System's Biggest Problem Isn't Cost; It's Quality
Washington may have passed Obamacare to reform the health care system and reduce costs, but it turns out high cost isn't Americans' No. 1 gripe about our health care system.
health care costs
Medical Credit Cards Can Cause Heartburn
Some health care providers are offering credit cards designed to cover uninsured costs, but these cards come with a host of potential problems.
Wealthy Workers Are Seriously Underestimating Their Retirement Needs
More than 80 percent of workers earning $115,000 say they are prepared for retirement -- but they think they'll only need $66,000 per year to live on.
Long-Term Care Insurance Should Be Part of Your Financial Plan
Long-term care insurance first was introduced in the late 1970s, but in recent years, it has become a much more important element of retirement planning thanks to twin rises in health care costs and longevity.
Could Slowing Health Care Costs Save Medicare?
The rise in health care costs has significantly outpaced both inflation and economic growth for decades, leading to increasingly dire projections about Medicare's long-term solvency in recent years. Yet some promising trends suggest the government program may get a new lease on life.
Conservative Think Tank Says Middle Class Has Never Had It Better
In Wednesday's Wall Street Journal, two economists from the American Enterprise Institute refuted the "myth" of the declining middle class, with statistics that show we're better off today than we were in 1950. Just one bit of bad news: They ignored all the bad news.
Forget the Taxman: You're Working to Pay Your Doctor
Recently, Forbes contributor Chris Conover took an interesting angle on the issue of health care in America by calculating the health care costs of the average worker. According to his figures, they add up to $8,953 per year -- the equivalent of 58 days of work.
Health Care Costs Are Holding Relatively Steady -- For Now
Americans kept health care spending in check for three years in a row, the government reported Monday, an unusual respite that could linger if the economy stays soft or fade like a mirage if job growth comes roaring back.
Life's Necessities Could Cost You $3,794 More in 2013
Surveying the raft of end-of-year surveys floating around right now, it quickly becomes apparent that not only are our taxes set to rise in 2013, but the cost of a whole lot of other stuff is going up, too. The question is: How much more expensive will life get in the new year? Here are the grim statistics.
8 Things That Will Cost More in 2013
Happy New Year! Your life just got more expensive. While congress frets over the looming fiscal cliff and taxpayers brace themselves for higher tax rates, consumers should prepare for certain goods to become pricier in 2013.
Younger Workers' Biggest Worry for Retirement: All of the Above
What has young and middle-aged workers most worried about their retirement prospects? Essentially, everything -- from health care costs to tax rates to being able to afford to pay for a roof overhead -- according to a recent survey from T. Rowe Price and Harris Interactive.
In Retirement Planning, Don't Forget to Do the Emotional Math, Too
Many financial advisors might make retirement planning out to be an exact science. Their financial calculators will spit out hard numbers, detailing almost to the day when you can quit working. Reality, however, isn't So exact, and those calculators miss a host of subjective emotional factors that you shouldn't ignore.
How to Ruin Your Retirement in 3 Steps
A successful, prosperous retirement is a common goal for most of us, but it's remarkably easy to wreck your golden years if you're not being careful. Here are three steps you could be taking right now to ruin your retirement.
GOP VP Pick Paul Ryan's Medicare Plan Back in Spotlight
Republican Paul Ryan's blueprint for Medicare could prove one of the most polarizing policies of the election. While it's short on details, one thing is clear: It would shift thousands of dollars a year in health care costs back to individual retirees.
Will Employer Health Insurance Go the Way of Pensions?
For years, employers have been dropping old-style pensions in favor of 401(k)s, putting more responsibility for retirement in the hands of workers. Now, companies are considering doing the same thing with health insurance benefits: Meet the "defined-contribution" health plan.