Your healthcare could now cost $185,500 in retirement — and that doesn’t include long-term care

Rising prices for care and managing chronic conditions helped drive up the forecast

A 65-year-old retiring in 2026 can expect to spend an average of $185,500 on healthcare and medical expenses throughout retirement, according to Fidelity Investments. That figure is up 7.5% from a year ago amid rising prices for care, people using more healthcare services as they age, and growing costs tied to managing chronic conditions.

The estimate assumes the retiree is enrolled in traditional Medicare Part A and Part B, which covers most hospital care and doctor visits, as well as Part D, which covers prescription drugs. The estimate includes Medicare premiums, out-of-pocket prescription-drug costs and other medical expenses such as copayments, coinsurance and deductibles for doctor and hospital visits.