Rising health-care costs are going to continue to plague retirees, says a new report by HealthView Services, a data resource for financial advisors based in Danvers, Mass.

The “2017 Retirement Health Care Costs Data Report” shows that lifetime retirement health-care premiums for Medicare Parts B and D, supplemental insurance and dental insurance for an average 65-year-old couple retiring this year are projected to be $321,994 in today’s dollars.

When deductibles, copays, hearing, vision and dental out-of-pocket costs are added, the total retirement health-care costs rise to $404,253, the report says.

The two keys for retirees wanting to manage these expenses are to increase savings, even modestly, and to manage their health conditions, HealthView says.

Ron Mastrogiovanni, CEO of HealthView Services, said that 55-year-olds can increase their 401(k) contributions by as little as $17 a week to address their retirement health care premiums, assuming they get a company match of 50% and they are meeting an 85% income replacement ratio savings goal.

At the same time, retirees who make changes in lifestyle can reduce expenses and extend their lives, he added. For instance, a 50-year-old male with type 2 diabetes who makes lifestyle changes and follows a doctor’s orders to manage his condition will increase his actuarial longevity by eight years, save an average of $5,000 in out-of-pocket costs annually before retirement at age 65 and reduce in-retirement health-care expenses by an average of $2,775 annually. If these savings are invested and generate a 6% return, it would amount to $120,000 at age 65.

“Health-care reform has been a major focus in Washington, but it’s important to recognize that the bill that recently passed the House would likely have a marginal impact on lifetime projected retirement health-care costs, excluding long-term care,” said Mastrogiovanni.

Health-care costs will continue to be daunting and the effect of inflation is often overlooked, he said. HealthView projects the annual retirement health-care inflation rate to average 5.47% for the foreseeable future.