How to Create a Health Care Safety Net for Retirement

A photo illustration shows a stethoscope and blood-pressure machine of a French general practitioner displayed in a doctor's office in Bordeaux Jan. 7, 2015. Reuters/Regis Duvignau

CHICAGO—Dreaming of retirement? Make sure you make a mental note to save for health care.

A 65-year-old couple will likely need $280,000 to cover health care expenses in retirement, according to Fidelity Investments. And that figure doesn’t include any kind of long-term care, which can run $90,000 a year.