are exchanges i

I am a retired person not yet 65, now searching for health ins for my wife and I. a month ago my former employer decided to not allow pre-Medicare retirees to obtain ins on the same group plan as active employees. They did provide advisory services from a third party (towers Perrin), however I'm not sure I am getting the whole picture. I will not qualify (I make too much $) for tax assistance so I am not shopping on the gov site. I am using the advisor resources, however everything I see them offering seems to be some sort of "exchange" product. Banded products (bronze silver gold) type offerings from major ins companies w/ very high deductibles and high out of pocket caps.

My concern is, am I getting a true picture? is every policy being sold as an exchange product thru some sort of government/state screening process? Nothing seems to be remotely similar to my previous group policy.

I have attempted to start at a major insurer to see if they are offering more alternatives than are listed by my third party. But following their web site seems to put you in contact with yet another telephone broker and frankly an individual more suited to selling car stereo than expensive health insurance.