A new study by the employee benefits consulting firm Watson Wyatt World finds that large employers that typically pay more than half their retirees’ medical expenses will be paying less than 10 percent by 2031.

But the changes are showing up now. Watson Wyatt says 20 percent of such employers have already nixed retiree medical plans for new hires, and 17 percent plan to require new employees to pay the full tab for coverage. In other cases, employers are putting a cap on the amount they’ll pay, linking contributions to factors like an employee’s length of service.

According to Watson Wyatt Research Director Sylvester Schieber, employees and retirees in past decades have been shielded from understanding the impact of skyrocketing health care price increases. “But as more of the burden will be put on their shoulders, they’ll need to become more aware and concerned about the quality of services they’re getting.” He notes that even when Medicare coverage kicks in at age 65, only about half of most seniors’ medical bills are covered.

One solution many larger firms are choosing is supplemental coverage, also known as “wraparound policies.” Medigap is one example. But the coverage can be costly—from $50 a month to almost $300.

The experts recommend that anyone thinking of retiring early should become savvy about benefits coverage. Among questions that should be asked are the following:

• Will you be on the company’s group plan until you’re old enough for Medicare?
• Will you have to pay anything, and if so what, toward the coverage?
• Will a Medicare wraparound option be offered after age 65? What will it cover and what is the cost?

For its part, AARP advises early retirees with working spouses to switch over to their husband’s or wife’s plan, matching their retirement date to the open enrollment period at the spouse’s place of employment.