Meeting the Need

About 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 today. How many of them are prepared to pay for the health care they will need to enjoy their retirements? ¶ “I don’t think people are aware of the need to plan for health coverage in retirement,” says Colleen Callahan, owner of Colleen Callahan Insurance Services in Pleasant Hill, California. “Some are confused by what the employer or union might offer, and others get confused about what is available directly from insurance companies. There also is a lack of understanding of what is available to them before turning 65.”

Those who do understand their needs must get an early start on planning, adds Craig Gussin of Auerbach & Gussin Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in San Diego, who is also vice president of public affairs for the California Association of Health Underwriters.