By Laura Hipshire and Julia Boyle

THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

When Martha Arendt—originally of Bradley Beach—retired, so did her health insurance. She turned to AARP Health Care Options, but it didn’t cover prescriptions and came at a higher cost than she was prepared for.

This trend is hitting people across the state and the nation. According to “The New Retirement Study,” a report by Merrill Lynch, health insurance ranks among the top concerns of people in or entering retirement.

While some companies offer pensions or continued health benefits to their retirees, many have recently been cutting those benefits and raising premiums. Additionally, some companies are asking retirees to pay deductibles and co-pays for the first time.

Welcome relief

Arendt found relief when she moved to Seabrook in Tinton Falls. She switched to the Medicare Advantage plan only available to residents of Erickson retirement communities. And she started using Erickson Healthsm doctors on campus.

She estimates saving about $75 a month by switching from AARP Health Care Options and by using Erickson Health. “Outside doctors aren’t available any time you need them,” she says. “Here, you just get on the elevator or walk down the hall and they’re ready to help you.”

She says one of the biggest benefits of using Erickson Health is that it focuses on preventive medicine. “You go to the doctor every 12 weeks so they can stop any problems at the very beginning—before they get out of hand,” she says. “I had a perfect EKG and 12 weeks later it had a deviation. I never would have caught that with a regular doctor because I would have had no reason to get another test so soon.”

Experts: plan ahead

Financial planners say not enough people consider their health care costs when calculating how much money they’ll need in retirement.