New Research From EBRI: New Estimates Update Retiree Health Sav...(gher than a year ago for men and married...),Health

Here are the results:

Employment-based benefits, with premiums subsidized by a former employer:

This example assumes a 65-year-old individual supplements Medicare with retiree health benefits from a former employer and that the premiums are subsidized by a former employer. The savings needed are:

Man: A man would need $68,000 in current savings to have a 50 percent chance of having enough money to cover health care expenses in retirement, or $134,000 in current savings for a 90 percent chance of having enough to cover retiree health costs. (The comparable 2008 numbers were $64,000 and $122,000.)

Woman: A woman would need current savings of $98,000 to have a 50 percent chance of having enough money for retiree health expenses, or $164,000 to have a 90 percent chance of having enough to cover retiree health costs. The numbers are higher for women because of their greater longevity. (The comparable 2008 numbers were $86,000 and $140,000.)

Married couple: A married couple would need current savings of $165,000 to have a 50 percent chance of having enough money for retirement health costs, or $256,000 for a 90 percent chance. (The comparable 2008 numbers were $154,000 and $235,000.)

Employment-based benefits, with premiums not subsidized by a former employer:

This example assumes a 65-year-old individual supplements Medicare with retiree health benefits from a former employer but the premiums are not subsidized by a former employer. The savings needed are:

Man: A man would need $111,000 in current savings to have a 50 percent chance of having enough money to cover health care expenses in retirement, or $217,000 in current
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