Retirees Polled on Health Care Costs:

75.1% Think Their Out-of-Pocket Costs Will Go Up in 2010

69.6% Think Out-of-Pocket Costs Will Go Up If a Health Care Reform Bill Goes into Effect

Burlingame, California – January 13, 2010 – A December 2009 survey of 1,030 Medicare- eligible retirees revealed that 75.1% believe their out-of-pocket health care/medical costs will go up in 2010. The survey also revealed that 69.6% believe that if health care reform legislation goes into effect, their out-of-pocket costs will go up.

The survey was fielded by Extend Health, Inc., which operates the largest private Medicare Exchange in the country and whose 400+ benefit advisors have helped more than 250,000 Medicare-eligible retirees find and evaluate private Medicare plans that meet their personalized needs since the exchange was launched in 2006.

According to Brian Bohlig, Chief Marketing Officer, the survey results highlight the mixed feelings retirees have about the impact of health care reform legislation on their personal financial situation. "Rising out-of-pocket medical costs are important because more than half of Americans 65 and older rely on Social Security as their primary source of income," said Bohlig. "Every dollar counts."

Extend Health surveys its retiree customers frequently on their views of health care, Medicare, and finances and publishes the results.

Questions and detailed results are as follows:

In 2010, you think your out-pocket health care/medical expenses will:

Go up	75.1%
Go down	3.5%
Stay the same	13.6%
Don’t know	7.8%

If a health care reform bill goes into effect, you think your out-of-pocket health care/medical expenses will:

Go up	69.6%
Go down	4.9%
Stay the same	7.4%
Don’t know	18.1%

About Extend Health

Extend Health, Inc. operates the largest private Medicare exchange in the country. Launched in 2006, the Extend Health Medicare Exchange and the company’s licensed and certified benefit advisors have helped more than 250,000 Medicare-eligible retirees nationwide identify and evaluate private Medicare plans that best meet their needs and budgets based on their personal medical and pharmaceutical needs. Based in Burlingame, California, Extend Health also has helped Fortune 500 companies, unions, and public sector organizations save up to 30% on health care coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees when compared to employer group plans. For more information, visit Extend Health on the web at http://www.extendhealth.com.

Media Contact:
Rob Wyse
212.920.1470
rob@mediafirstpr.com