[rorrr2]

Oh, I absolutely agree that the US healthcare system is absolute shit, but there are ways around it.

She should have planned for it long before 83. I started planning my finances for retirement at 25.

She should've been eligible for Medicare, but I guess she didn't pay medicare taxes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_(United_States)#Eligib...

[jacalata]

If she wasn't paying payroll taxes, that would be the fault of the employer who is supposed to deduct them, and where she had worked for 25 years, no? There is no minimum income you have to pay it on as far as I am aware.

[aestra]

If you're living paycheck to paycheck, planning for retirement isn't on your list of high priorities. Paying your rent, and buying food is, and those little unexpected expenses like new tires hit hard.

It's great that you're fortunate enough to have enough income to be able to plan for retirement at 25.