March 14, 2013, (Aloha, Ore.)
Jim Hunt, 57, had worked as a microprocessor design engineer for 30 years. About two years ago, with careful planning, he decided to take an early retirement. His employer would pay for continued health insurance for him and his wife, Ann, for 18 months under the federal COBRA law. After the COBRA period ran out, he planned to purchase private insurance until he was eligible for Medicare at age 65.