Why your health might start improving at age 65.

When I was younger I thought that health insurance was a legitimate business. Then came the focus on wealth over health, on profits over people, and loathsome, inhumane innovations like “pre-existing “ conditions and a lack of preventive care.

Today, despite a 483 % increase in profits since 2000 (and our president is worried about them?), the insurance business has placed most Americans on the outermost boundaries of financial security; realistically, many of us are only one serious illness away from poverty.

Which is why 65 is such a good number. At 65, medical worries for the senior population are replaced by Medicare, and peace of mind. Unfortunately, the number of adults under 65 who don’t have insurance is rising every year (in 2008, 1.5 million Americans under 65 became uninsured). Right now, this represents about 20% of the mature market — and will likely get much worse, much faster, in 2010.

Why? Two reasons. First, more companies will continue to either reduce or eliminate their medical coverage for employees. Second, as millions of workers become unemployed, they (and their families) will lose their group coverage.

So 2010 may not be too pretty for the 65-and-under crowd. And don’t look to insurance executives for help; they don’t really have hearts, as we’ve seen, they have shareholders. And Congress, as we know, doesn’t vote with their conscience, they vote with their lobbyists.

Nevertheless, just when it seems like everybody has got our number, just remember: we’ve got a number too. And that number is 65.

Mike Baumayr, Chapter Two Communications

Mature marketing expertise from one of America’s “oldest” authorities on boomers, retirement, aging, longevity, and inter-generational marketing.