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Comment by emilyfm | Hacker News Reader

Odd that this article doesn't mention a key reason that US workers are staying working into their "retirement" years: access to health insurance.

(also, B&Q is a British company, not based in New York like the article states).

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I thought once one reaches a retirement age in the US, the only option is medicare?

"Medicare doesn't cover most dental care, dental procedures, or supplies, like cleanings, fillings, tooth extractions, dentures, dental plates, or other dental devices. Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) will pay for certain dental services that you get when you're in a hospital"

Source: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/dental-services.html

Also, they won't cover glasses.

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/eyeglasses-contact-lenses....

Brutal. A good reason to keep working though. Those two items are pretty glaring omissions from Medicare, and relevant for most people, but especially so for otherwise healthy seniors. Having glasses that work and functional teeth is the difference between an active, healthy life and being a shut-in.

Even in the province of Québec (probably all of Canada, but not sure on that one), where we have had "free" healthcare for a very long time, dental care and glasses have always been an extra. Most of the time, that extra cost is not worth it for the few times you would actually need it.

And when you have it and there is an occasion to use it, you realize the amount that is reimbursed is less than 50% of the costs because you reach the limit in a single treatment, with leftover you have to pay unles you have the highest tier of insurance.

That's often the case in other countries as well, I believe. Why not pay out of pocket? Those don't seem like the kind of things you'd need insurance for. Even the most expensive operations won't exceed $10.000 which should be more than affordable for any retiree.

> Even the most expensive operations won't exceed $10.000 which should be more than affordable for any retiree.

Should, but not necessarily is. $10k is a large amount of money!

Doubtful.. Some retirees live on social security.

Many folks get Part C or D coverage that give them the option to get dental/vision included too, if they don't just buy it separately. My parents pay $95/month or so each for Kaiser's Medicare plan in the Bay Area, and that includes dental and vision. Medicare itself is not intended to cover everything... that's what the Advantage and Part C/D and Medigap stuff is for.

Routine care such as dental cleanings is a foreseable expense and doesn't require insurance.

Can't you say that about regular medical check-ups, too? Those are covered by insurance.

But dental and vision plans have always been poor deals with low yearly coverage limits and high copay. I find it hard to believe people would work just for those two things when a lot will come out of your pocket anyway.

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