Twice the number of retirees say their top concern today is “having enough money to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses” compared with five years ago
SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A survey of 315 retirees 65 years and older, conducted by Extend Health, Inc., revealed a shift in their top concern about retirement today compared to what it was five years ago – and health care tops the list. When asked to pick their top concern about retirement today, respondents’ number one response was having adequate health insurance (22.8%). In comparison, respondents’ say their top concern five years ago was maintaining their pre-retirement standard of living (26.9%).
“having enough money to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by their health insurance”
Moreover, retirees say they are more concerned today about “having enough money to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by their health insurance” than they were five years ago. 13.4% of respondents said it was their top concern today – nearly twice the number who said that five years ago it was their top concern.
Extend Health, a leading provider of health benefits management services, including the nation’s largest private Medicare exchange, fielded the survey from April 11-16, 2012. Respondents were all retirees from major U.S. corporations, and 74.9% of them retired more than 10 years ago.
Said Bryce Williams, CEO of Extend Health, “Retirees have many financial concerns about retirement – and rightly so in this uncertain economic and political climate. This survey shows just how much health insurance and out-of-pocket health care costs have risen in importance over the last five years.”
Questions and detailed results from the survey are as follows:
Which of these statements best expresses your top concern about retirement right now compared to five years ago?
Now
Five Years Ago
Having adequate health insurance
22.8%
23.4%
Outliving my financial assets 19.2% 16.2%
Having enough money to pay for extras 17.6% 15.9%
that makes life enjoyable
Maintaining my pre-retirement 15.0%
26.9%
standard of living
Having enough money to pay my
13.4%
7.1%
out-of-pocket medical expenses
not covered by health insurance
Having enough money to pay my 7.5% 6.2%
basic day-to-day living expenses
Having enough money to leave 4.6% 4.2%
to my children
Extend Health has helped hundreds of thousands of seniors compare and choose private Medicare plans. Extend Health is the only place seniors can compare thousands of plans from more than 75 carriers side by side and find plans that best meet their needs. Licensed benefit advisors are available to help seniors evaluate their Medicare coverage and explore new options quickly and easily.
About Extend Health:
Extend Health, Inc., founded in 2004, is a leading provider of health benefits management services, including the largest private Medicare exchange in the country. For more information, visit Extend Health on the web at http://www.extendhealth.com.
Extend Health is a registered trademark of Extend Health, Inc. Other names may be trademarks or servicemarks of their respective owners.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50266758&lang=en
Contacts
For Extend Health, Inc.
Rob Wyse, 212-920-1470
rob@WT221.com
