Health Costs a Key Worry for Those Nearing Retirement (Kaiser Health News)

The biggest worry on the minds of boomers approaching retirement? Health care, specifically long-term care: 49 percent of near-retirees are not confident that they’ll be able to afford the care they need later in life, compared with just 38 percent of current retirees. These stats are based on a multi-part poll, “Aging Nation: The Impact of America’s Senior Population,” which found that the economy has been a game-changer for near-retirees, many of whom have seen their houses decline in value and their stocks and other investments fluctuate sharply in volatile financial markets. One immediate result of the findings could impact next year’s election: 62 percent of near-retirees believe that Medicare should be kept intact in its current from.