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More boomers are college graduates than in any previous generations. Census data estimate that nearly 30 percent of boomers have earned a bachelor’s or more advanced degree. As a more educated and informed generation, boomers are likely to want more say in their care. But those who think all of these individuals will be more demanding or challenging than their parents may be surprised.

“There is no question that baby boomers are engaged, involved, and want to know things,” Mike Wasserman, MD, CMD, says. “But I have begun to see that as boomers age, they are becoming their parents.”

He says he expected health care to change as boomers age and that this generation would treat it differently than did their parents by pushing the market. However, he says, “I’m not sure anymore…I see boomers starting to listen unquestioningly to their physicians like their parents did.”