The retirement issue that no one is talking about

Older Americans generally are worried about medical costs in retirement. Nearly half of them won’t talk about it.

A survey from the Nationwide Retirement Institute released Wednesday said 45 percent of individuals polled have not discussed these expenses with anyone.

And that’s too bad, because health-care costs can add up dramatically in retirement.

A 65-year-old couple retiring in 2016 can expect to spend an average of $260,000 on medical expenses over approximately 20 years, excluding nursing home costs, according to Fidelity. That reflects a 6 percent increase from 2015.

Basic Medicare doesn’t cover all of your care expenses, either. Part B — which covers doctor visits and lab tests — will pay for 80 percent of your approved charges. You are responsible for the remaining 20 percent.

Nationwide polled 1,316 Americans online, all over age 50, from Sept. 14 to Sept. 22, 2016.