{"product_id":"health-insurance-for-the-solo-m-e-hart-9798180851901","title":"Health Insurance for the Solo Early Retiree: How to Bridge the Gap to Medicare on Your Own - Coverage, Costs, and the New 2026 Subsidy Rules","description":"\u003cb\u003eYou retired early. Now you have to insure yourself until Medicare - alone.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIf you're single and stepping away from work before 65, the standard health-insurance advice doesn't fit. It assumes a spouse's plan to fall back on, a second income to smooth the bumps, and someone to share the research. You're doing this on your own - and in 2026, the rules got harder: the enhanced ACA subsidies expired, and the old \"subsidy cliff\" is back. Cross one income line and a healthy 62-year-old can face premiums over $1,500 a month. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis focused guide is written for exactly your situation: a household of one, bridging the gap to Medicare without overpaying. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eWHAT YOU'LL LEARN\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhy \"solo\" is a different game - and how to use it to your advantage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eYour real options when there's no spouse's plan: the Marketplace, COBRA, and what to avoid\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow ACA subsidies actually work, and exactly what changed in 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe MAGI control game: how which accounts you spend from decides your premium\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to plan around the subsidy cliff - and when to ignore it on purpose\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCOBRA vs. the Marketplace: the decision that quietly costs people thousands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChoosing the right plan: metal tiers, networks, cost-sharing reductions, and the HSA question\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA year-by-year timeline from your last day of work to your 65th birthday\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHow to hand off to Medicare at 65 with no gap and no lifelong penalties\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eINCLUDES\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSix worked case studies - steady spender, big pre-tax balance, chronic condition, October retiree, lumpy consulting income, and an unplanned layoff at 56\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA fill-in Solo MAGI Worksheet and an annual open-enrollment checklist\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA plain-English glossary and where to get the real, current numbers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWritten to teach the system, not just this year's figures - so you can run your own numbers every fall. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eThis book is educational information, not personalized advice. Confirm current rules at HealthCare.gov, Medicare.gov, and IRS.gov, and bring in a licensed broker or tax professional for your situation.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e M. E. Hart\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798180851901\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/09\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 74\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.19lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.19d","brand":"M. E. Hart","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":49097359884543,"sku":"9798180851901","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/health-insurance-for-the-solo-m-e-hart-9798180851901","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}