Retiree Health Insurance: Why I Keep Paying the Higher Premium

Welcome to my channel! I’m Lazandra, and here we talk about Black women in senior leadership in the public sector, navigating the day to day while still on the job, preparing for separation from service, and creating a fulfilling life on a pension after retirement. Open enrollment is here again, and for early retirees who are not fully health vested, or for anyone still in service planning their exit, that annual notice is a real reality check when rates climb. In this video, I share the honest realities of why I continue paying out of pocket directly from my pension to stay on my former agency’s group retiree health plan. When you retire early, you do not have Medicare to fall back on yet, and bridging those years to age 65 is a substantial ongoing expense. I talk about: The 10 Year Bridge to Medicare: Navigating the gap from retiring at 55 to reaching 60 today, with five years left until Medicare at 65. Why "Cheaper" Isn't Always Cheaper: How managing chronic illness, daily maintenance medications, and doctor visits makes cheap copays and dependable group coverage far more cost effective than private market options with high out of pocket costs. International and Preventative Care: Why having a solid group plan provided peace of mind when I got sick and needed medical care out of the country, plus the benefit of rolling this plan directly into Medicare down the road. The Connection to Supplemental Income: How carrying health premiums out of a pension influences the decision to work on your own terms, and choosing when to take on projects and when to take a complete break. Join the Conversation: Are you an early retiree paying out of pocket for health insurance? Did you choose to stay on your former agency's group plan, or did you transition to private coverage? If you found a great private plan, drop it in the comments below to support another sister navigating her early retirement journey. Remember: You matter, and joy belongs to you. #BlackWomenInLeadership #BlackWomenInThePublicSector #BlackWomenRetire #PublicSectorSeniorLeadership #LifeAfterRetirement #LivingOnAPension #EarlyRetirementAt55 #MedicareBridge #SupplementalIncome