Older Migrant Retirees to South Carolina: Boon or Burden?

Background: South Carolina is a retirement destination for many seniors. State economic policy makers have seen these well-to-do retirees as an economic boon to the state; however, could these older retiree migrants increase the burden of chronic disease, health care costs, and Medicaid long term care costs?

Methodology: This presentation is a descriptive study of the health status, health behaviors and SES of persons over 50 years old in the five states from which most retiree migrants to SC live. The compiled statistics will be used to compare the health, behaviors and SES of older South Carolinians with other states. Data is obtained through the 2005 National BRFSS and US Census.

Conclusion: The migrating source states' population of well-to-do seniors has been assessed to have healthier habits, better health, lower hypertension rates and are more physically active than South Carolinians in the same age group. Therefore, the migrants are much less likely to spend down resources on chronic disease care and to become a Medicaid burden to state tax payers.

Implication: This study could be used to predict the economic impact of campaigns to attract migrants with high incomes and education, and to predict the likelihood of these retiree migrants maintaining vitality as they age. It can be speculated that these migrants are more likely to avoid spend down of financial resources for medical and long-term care than their South Carolina counterparts.