• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.123-143
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• 2012

This study, based on a health belief model, examines how baby boomers perceive health and how they are financially preparing for future medical expenses. In addition, the study analyzes which factors influence baby boomers' preparation behaviors for future medical expenses and their perceived sufficiency of the preparation for medical expenses. Through such activities, this study examines baby boomers' current preparation status for future medical expenses, and based on this outcome, will turn the attention of individuals and society toward becoming more concerned with health and increasing health expectancy. For this study, an online survey was conducted targeted at men and women who were born between 1955 and 1963 and live nationwide, and its resultant data were collected. After conducting a 15-day survey in November 2011, a total of 418 questionnaire responses were used for the final analysis. The major findings of this study and their implications are as follows: First, baby boomers' health beliefs and their perceptions of health identified by subjective health conditions were very positive. Second, while there were some partial differences in the influencing factors, health beliefs and perceived health influenced the sufficiency of future medical expenses in the three groups, which were segmented according to how they prepare for future medical expenses-insurance-based, pension-based, and insufficiently prepared groups. Third, the baby boomers selected the national health insurance as the primary means of preparing for post-retirement medical expenses, and backed it up with private health insurance or the national pension. In addition, when baby boomers' perceived sufficiency of future medical expenses were examined, 57.6% of the respondents expressed that their old-age medical expenses were not sufficient. Fourth, in terms of baby boomers' preparation behaviors for future medical expenses, it was revealed that as one recognizes old-age health more seriously, he/she has a higher chance of using insurance and lower chance of using a pension to prepare for medical expenses. Fifth, regarding baby boomers' sufficiency of preparations for future medical expenses, economic factors such as total assets, the sufficiency of retirement assets, and the number of insurance policies, as well as health perceptions, including health beliefs and subjective health conditions, were important influencing factors.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.37-52
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to provide the valid data about residential-linked pension insurance development. The development was a part of national housing projects, which was an incentive for rural living of retired people, in order to relieve residential issues of elderly and revitalize rural communities by residents moving from cities. The insuring intent, decisive insuring factors and the residential service demand degree of people preparing retirement were analyzed. Data was collected in October, 2007. 364 Sample Subjects lived in Seoul Metropolitan area. Firstly, more than 90% of respondents had intention to purchase a residential-linked pension insurance and about 50% of them necessarily desired receiving premium for moving in. This indicated that it could be developed as an insurance which helped to meet housing expenses by housing-linked system, and in the mean time, it met the original purpose of pension insurance as the pension benefit could be guaranteed for all the insurance subscribers. Secondly, the respondents, whose income and private assets were higher, were able to pay more for insurance compared to average. Therefore, It was necessary to regulate monthly insurance bill and the payment period according to asset states of insurance subscribers after establishing certain amount of total insurance payment. Thirdly, by and large, it indicated the tendency that the less they prepare for older age the later they wanted to move into the pension insurance residence. It was inferred that in the case of insufficient preparation for older age, people preferred preparing behind time by postponing move in to moving in early to enjoy retired life, due to uncertainties. lastly, the respondents understood the significance of health, medical treatment and emergency management service and these two services were preferred as essential provided services. Because of the necessity of developing residential-linked pension insurance was found to be positive, further research to find the real cost, directives for operation and institutional support for this type of pension insurance might be needed.