90 Days Into Health Care Reform:

64% of Retirees Say Medicare Will Always Be There For Them, Just 23% Confident It Will Be There for Their Children

Burlingame, California – June 24, 2010 – A June 2010 independent survey of 408 retirees covered by Medicare revealed that 90 days after the passage of health care reform legislation 64% are “very” or “somewhat” confident Medicare will be available the rest of their lives, but just 23% have the same confidence it will be here for their children. The survey further revealed that 61% of respondents are “not” confident that Medicare will be here for their children and another 14% are “unsure.”

The survey was fielded by Extend Health, Inc., which operates the largest private Medicare exchange in the country at www.ExtendHealth.com.

Extend Health conducted the same survey with retirees on Medicare in March 2010 – just days before health care reform legislation was passed. Since March, the number of retirees who responded that they are “very” or “somewhat” confident Medicare will be available for the rest of their lives increased from 59% to 64% while the number who responded that they are “not” confident decreased from 32% to 24%.

On the question of their confidence that Medicare will be there for the rest of their children’s lives, results between the March and June surveys were nearly the same.

“The surveys reveal a tale of two cities,” said Bryce Williams, President and CEO of Extend Health. “While retiree confidence in Medicare during their own lifetimes has increased since the passage of health care reform legislation, retirees remain concerned about Medicare for future generations.”

The question and detailed results from the June 2010 survey, which was conduced from June 15-18, are as follows:

How confident are you that Medicare will be available for the rest of your life? Your children’s lives?

Confidence level Self Children
Very confident 19% 3%
Somewhat confident 45% 20%
Unsure 11% 14%
Not confident 24% 61%
Don't care 1% 2%


The results of the March 2010 survey, which was conduced from March 15-16, were as follows:

How confident are you that Medicare will be available for the rest of your life? Your children’s lives?

Confidence level Self Children
Very confident 16% 4%
Somewhat confident 43% 16%
Unsure 9% 17%
Not confident 32% 62%
Don't care -- 1%

About Extend Health
Extend Health, Inc. was founded in 2004 to serve Medicare-eligible retirees and their corporate sponsors. The company operates the country’s largest private Medicare exchange and has helped more than 250,000 retirees compare and choose the private Medicare plan that best meets their needs and budgets. With Extend Health employer solutions, Fortune 500 companies, unions, and public sector organizations can save up to 30% on retiree health care compared to legacy employer group plans. For more information, visit Extend Health on the web at http://www.extendhealth.com.

Media Contacts:

Rob Wyse
212.920.1470
rob@mediafirstpr.com

Aaron Berger
917.355.8959
aaron@mediafirstpr.com

Contact us

Individuals & families

Find the right health plan with help from an experienced benefit advisor:

1-866-322-2824
(TTY: 1-866-508-5123)
Mon.-Fri. 9 am to 9 pm Eastern

Businesses

Learn more about defined contribution solutions to managing health care costs

1-888-612-8210
Mon.-Fri. 9 am to 9 pm Eastern

Media Contacts

For more information, please contact our communications department.
media@extendhealth.com

Public relations:
Rob Wyse
212-920-1470
More contact information