Retirement may no longer be the golden years.

The Fidelity Retirement Index found that high energy costs and other demands on family budgets are making it tough for most working families, about 76 percent, to save adequately for retirement.

The index showed that median-income workers face losing nearly half of their income when they retire, and most underestimate their needs -- especially health care expenses.

According to the survey, most of those surveyed estimated that the out-of-pocket health-care costs for a 65-year-old couple retiring today would be about $80,000.

But an estimate by Fidelity Investments released in March put that number at about $200,000.

"We're at the point where Americans are beginning to realize that health-care costs likely will be one of their major expenses in retirement, if not the largest, but haven't yet grasped the enormity of this cost," said Fidelity Investments Chief Operating Officer Bob Reynolds.

Reynolds said many employers are cutting retirement benefits dramatically, especially defined-benefit pensions and retiree health insurance.

He said companies need to restructure "next generation" defined-contribution workplace savings plans, such as the 401(k), to increase participation and raise savings levels.

Reynolds said Congress should consolidate retirement-savings vehicles, make it simpler to administer workplace savings plans and increase tax incentives for individuals to save "and for companies to help them do so on the job."

The survey found that 45 percent of American workers feel it is the individual's job to ensure affordable medical insurance in retirement, while 44 percent believe it should be the government's job.

Eleven percent thought employers should provide access to insurance.

The survey also found that almost half -- 46 percent -- of respondents said they would work at least part time in retirement to pay for health care, while nearly a third -- 31 percent -- planned to delay their retirement to maintain health benefits.