examine a cohort of male workers from the Health and Retirement Survey to examine questions about the dynamics of retiree … health benefits and the relationship between retiree health benefits and retirement behavior, which is important for the … other than employer-provided insurance. On the relationship between retiree health benefits and retirement, we find that …

return to work at lower rates, are less successful at returning to prior earnings levels, and have lower employment rates in … recovery, and subsequent employment is greatest in the first year after the claim for benefits. There is also evidence that … higher near term employment rates than those returning to work only one quarter later. Getting back to work quickly was also …