TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —A new poll of Florida AARP members released today finds strong support across party and ideological lines for elements of health care reform included in the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which recently passed the House of Representatives. The bill, which strictly limits how much more insurance companies can charge based on age and closes the Medicare prescription drug doughnut hole, was endorsed by AARP. 

Overall, AARP Florida members supported the House health-reform legislation by slightly more than two to one – almost exactly the reverse of the 8 yes and 17 no votes on H.R. 3962 by Florida members of Congress. AARP has nearly 3 million members in Florida and represents roughly half the state’s 50+ electorate.

Among AARP members, strong majorities reported that many of the bill’s key provisions were convincing reasons to support the legislation. These include requiring insurance companies to cover preventive care free of charge (78 percent), preventing insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions (76 percent), closing the gap in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage known as the “doughnut hole” (69 percent) and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription-drug prices with drug manufacturers (76 percent).

“This survey confirms what we’ve been hearing from our members for a long time,” said AARP’s Florida state director, Lori Parham. “The more Florida AARP members understand the health-reform legislation, the more they like it. Despite an inflammatory debate on a very personal and important issue, our members support health reform that protects Medicare, lowers the price of prescription drugs, increases their access to coverage and protects their choice of doctors.”

While a partisan divide was evident when respondents were asked about the current plan in Congress, Florida AARP members supported the legislation 66 percent strongly or somewhat to 30 percent who opposed strongly or somewhat. 

Reform elements with high levels of support among AARP members included provisions ensuring Americans can see the doctor of their choice (76 percent), requiring insurers to provide preventive care at no cost to patients (78 percent), allowing Medicare to negotiate prices for prescription drugs (76 percent), and stopping insurers from charging much higher premiums based on age (68 percent). 

Democrats heavily supported the House health-reform bill, 91 percent strongly or somewhat in favor to 6 percent strongly or somewhat opposed. Some 65 percent of self-described independents said they supported the plan strongly or somewhat. While 60 percent of self-identified Republican AARP members in Florida opposed the plan strongly or somewhat, majorities of Republicans supported many reform elements including stopping discrimination because of pre-existing conditions (66 percent), covering routine preventive care (60 percent) and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices (62 percent).

“This survey shows that the House health-reform bill incorporates the elements of health reform that AARP members care most about. AARP will keep fighting for health reform that our members want as the Senate takes up the legislation in coming weeks,” Parham said. “AARP members, and all older Americans, are counting on lawmakers to reform the health care system this year.”

AARP Florida surveyed its members on key health care reform provisions supported by AARP, as well as other contentious issues being discussed in the debate. AARP surveyed its members from Oct. 30 to Nov. 8 about the current health care reform plan in the House of Representatives. This survey of 421 is representative of AARP members in the state of Florida and has a margin of error of +/- 4.8 percent. (http://www.aarp.org/research/surveys/care/health/hcreform/articles/hrhcr.html) 

Critical legislation would strengthen Medicare, improve coverage for all Americans

• Protect and strengthen Medicare for today’s seniors and future generations.
• Ensure seniors can see the doctor of their choice and receive needed treatment by improving Medicare’s payments to doctors. If Congress does not take action, physicians nationwide will see a 21-percent reduction in Medicare reimbursements in January 2010.
• Lower sky-high drug costs for seniors by allowing the government to negotiate with drug companies for lower drug prices in Medicare; provide strong, immediate discounts on name-brand prescription drugs for those in the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole,” and close the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” completely over time.
• Reduce waste, inefficiency, fraud and abuse in the Medicare program. H.R. 3962 increases federal resources to prosecute Medicare fraudsters and provides new penalties.
• Provide affordable health insurance options for Floridians age 50-64 who don’t have health coverage. An estimated 600,000 Floridians in this age group lack health coverage, and one in four Floridians age 60 or older is rejected for health coverage if he or she has no health coverage on the job.
• Require Medicare and insurance companies to provide for important preventive services like screenings for diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis free of charge.
• Prevent insurers from denying affordable coverage to anyone because of their age or because of “pre-existing conditions.” The legislation allows insurers to charge older Floridians no more than twice as much as younger people for the same coverage. Current law allows insurers to charge seniors seven times as much.
• Limit how much your health insurance company can make you pay out-of-pocket. Currently, more than half of all bankruptcies in Florida are caused by high health costs.
• Provide benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities.

• Protect and strengthen Medicare for today’s seniors and future generations.
• Ensure seniors can see the doctor of their choice and receive needed treatment by improving Medicare’s payments to doctors. If Congress does not take action, physicians nationwide will see a 21-percent reduction in Medicare reimbursements in January 2010.
• Lower sky-high drug costs for seniors by allowing the government to negotiate with drug companies for lower drug prices in Medicare; provide strong, immediate discounts on name-brand prescription drugs for those in the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole,” and close the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” completely over time.
• Reduce waste, inefficiency, fraud and abuse in the Medicare program. H.R. 3962 increases federal resources to prosecute Medicare fraudsters and provides new penalties.
• Provide affordable health insurance options for Floridians age 50-64 who don’t have health coverage. An estimated 600,000 Floridians in this age group lack health coverage, and one in four Floridians age 60 or older is rejected for health coverage if he or she has no health coverage on the job.
• Require Medicare and insurance companies to provide for important preventive services like screenings for diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis free of charge.
• Prevent insurers from denying affordable coverage to anyone because of their age or because of “pre-existing conditions.” The legislation allows insurers to charge older Floridians no more than twice as much as younger people for the same coverage. Current law allows insurers to charge seniors seven times as much.
• Limit how much your health insurance company can make you pay out-of-pocket. Currently, more than half of all bankruptcies in Florida are caused by high health costs.
• Provide benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities.

Millions on Social Security to Receive No Increase for First Time Since 1975

TALLAHASSEE, FL – AARP Florida State Director Lori Parham offered the following statement in reaction to the Social Security Administration’s announcement this morning that 41 million older Americans, including 3.5 million older Floridians, will not receive a Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 2010. Since automatic Social Security adjustments went into effect in 1975, there has never been a year without a COLA.

“Health-care costs and drug costs are rising and many older Floridians are still reeling from losses due to recent market turmoil.  While expected, today’s news is a blow for millions of older Floridians.  For decades, older Floridians have counted on these annual increases to help make ends meet.”

“AARP applauds the President’s call Oct. 14 for a $250 payment to Social Security beneficiaries, as well as efforts by elected leaders of both parties to provide similar relief.  As AARP Chief Operating Officer Tom Nelson noted today, older Americans are paying heavily out of pocket for medical care, have experienced a real decline in their retirement accounts and in housing values, face longer periods of unemployment for those who need to work, and are seeing low returns on interest-bearing accounts.

“Already, some older Americans are having to choose between daily expenses for food and housing or being able to afford the costly prescription drugs they need to remain healthy.  One in five Floridians age 65+ relies on Social Security alone for their income.”

“On behalf of AARP members across Florida , we join AARP leaders across the nation in calling on Congress to act quickly and pass legislation to provide needed a $250 payment to older Americans whose benefits will be frozen next year.”

Port Richey, Fla. – Health reform remains a hot topic in conversation these days, and Pasco County residents want to know what is being proposed. To help inform area residents, AARP held a “community conversation” Wednesday in Port Richey featuring Jeff Johnson, AARP Florida's manager of state operations. Johnson provided residents with the latest developments on health-reform legislation in Washington and also outlined what AARP believes should be important elements in any final health-reform bill.

• Finding the facts on health-care reform: A message from Lori Parham, AARP Florida’s State Director http://www.aarp.org/community/AARPFL/journals/Finding_the_facts_on_heal/1959212?cn=STREAM_AARPfl_journals_large_PAGE1
• For an update from AARP Bulletin on myths about health reform, go to: http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/policy/articles/health_care_reform2.htmlFor more information on AARP’s “Health Action Now” campaign go to www.healthactionnow.org

“AARP Florida looks forward to working with these new commissioners to serve Floridians of all generations.” 

AARP Florida State Director Lori Parham sent the letter below to U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, on Thursday: