According to the US Census Bureau as reported in the Washington Post, the proportion of seniors remaining in the workforce after age 65 rose sharply to 23% in 2006.

In a 2005 report titled 65+ in the United States the Bureau had estimated that 19% of men and 11% of women participated in the work force after age 65. These numbers were expected to increase to 27% and 20% respectively by the year 2030.

Interesting, but these numbers don’t provide information that can help a health plan
market to its most important set of prospects. According to Deft’s Age-In Study, 42% of all persons currently aged 63-64, and 48% of those in the invdividual coverage market expect to continue working in some capacity at age 65.

DEFT TOP LINE RESULT: Age-In Work plans at 65.

source: The Age-In Study, 2007.

AGE-IN Research Sampler and faxback order form

The chart above shows 63-64 year olds’ anticipated work status at 65. When we looked only at persons who would be obtaining Medicare coverage as individuals, 48% will stay at work.

The implications are that The Age-In Study produces a picture of the senior market that can be projected into the future and that is strikingly different from the picture one might develop from free government data alone.