Health care in crisis, affordability and caring for yourself in retirement and beyond
By Jenny Brown – CEO & Founder
If there’s one topic that keeps coming up in conversations with clients lately, it’s health care. Not just “Will I be okay?”, but “What happens if life doesn’t go to plan?”
We’re all seeing it. Public health systems are under enormous strain. Hospitals are at capacity, wait lists are longer than ever, and getting timely treatment can feel like a lottery. For people approaching or already in retirement, that uncertainty can be unsettling. You’ve worked hard for your freedom; the last thing you want is to spend it waiting.
At the same time, private health care is on the rise again. More Australians are reassessing their options, not because they want anything fancy, but because they want choice. Choice about who treats them, where they’re treated, and how long they have to wait. For many retirees, it’s not about luxury, it’s about control and peace of mind.
But here’s the part many people don’t think about.
What if it’s not your health that changes?
One couple I worked with, let’s call them Mark and Sue, had planned retirement beautifully. Travel booked. A downsized home near the coast. Enough savings to live comfortably without stress. They were fit, active and excited about the years ahead.
Then, just two years into retirement, Mark was diagnosed with a serious illness.
Suddenly, the questions weren’t about holidays or hobbies. They were about specialists, wait times, treatment options and costs. Sue found herself juggling appointments, advocating for Mark, and quietly worrying about how long their money, and their energy, would last.
What surprised Sue most wasn’t just the financial pressure. It was the emotional weight. The sense that everything had shifted overnight. Retirement no longer felt like a shared adventure, it felt fragile.
Because when your partner’s health changes, everything changes. Your time. Your income choices. Your lifestyle. Your confidence about the future.
This is why health needs to be part of your retirement plan, not just from a dollars‑and‑cents perspective, but from a human one.
Yes, you need to consider the affordability of health care. Private cover. Out‑of‑pocket costs. Ongoing treatments. The reality is that health expenses tend to rise quietly over time, and they don’t always arrive when it’s convenient.
But you also need to think about support.
Who helps you make decisions when emotions are high?
Who helps you step back and see the bigger picture?
Who reminds you that it’s okay to adjust the plan?
Caring for yourself in retirement means thinking ahead with kindness, not fear. It means asking, “If something changes, for me or for my partner, do we have options?”
Because the goal isn’t to predict the future.
It’s to feel steady when the future surprises you.
If this resonates, and you’re wondering whether your retirement plan truly accounts for health, yours or your partner’s, this is exactly the work we do. After more than three decades helping people navigate retirement, and as the author of Retirement: The Great Escape Plan, I know that the best plans aren’t just financially sound, they’re emotionally supportive and flexible when life shifts.
If you’d like to talk through your situation, review your options, or simply gain clarity about what “being prepared” really looks like for you, we’d love to help.
Because retirement should still feel like an escape plan, even when life takes an unexpected turn. Reach out to the JBS Financial Team here, and together we can work on a plan that is right for you.