Older adults today will live longer than those of previous generations, and a greater proportion of older adults rate their overall health status as good to excellent. But while death rates from many of the major health concerns of the past have declined, death rates for others have increased, as has the prevalence of many chronic health problems. Health conditions are a frequent cause of early retirement, which may result in loss of health insurance coverage. Fewer adults will have access to employer-sponsored retiree health insurance in the
future, while the future costs and coverage of publicly-funded health insurance for older adults are uncertain.