Are you saving for retirement?

If so, Fidelity recommends that you put aside $250,000 for health care:

Each year, Fidelity Investments estimates the health care costs for a couple in retirement until death. The number is both terrifying and laughable, routinely in quarter-million-dollar territory. Yes, $250,000 on top of the millions needed to fund retirement. Oh, and it doesn't include the cost of nursing home care...

The Boston-based financial company released its estimate for a 65-year-old couple retiring in 2011 on Thursday. Surprisingly, the estimate dropped 8 percent to $230,000 thanks to recent changes to Medicare... Unfortunately, the drop is expected to be a one-time only "break." Expenses should continue rising steadily in the future...

Since the company started calculating the number in 2002, the annual health care costs estimate has increased an average of 6 percent annually.

If the 6 percent annual increase is accurate, you can use the rule of 72 to estimate the amount in the future, because the $250,000 would double every 12 years (72/6).

Kara McGuire's column at the StarTribune has more details re the methodology, and links to Fidelity resources.