WASHINGTON — A new poll of 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.

  Among AARP members, strong majorities reported that many of the bill’s key provisions were convincing reasons to support the legislation.  These include strictly limiting insurers from charging much higher premiums because of age (68%), closing the gap in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage known as the doughnut hole (69%) and improving coverage for critical preventive services like cancer screenings (77%).

  “This survey demonstrates what we’ve been hearing from our members for a long time,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President.  “Despite an inflammatory debate on a very personal and important issue, our members—across party and ideological lines—support health care 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, AARP members supported the legislation by more than a 2-1 (63%-30%) margin.  More than half of self-described independents indicated support for the plan.

  Other reform elements with high levels of support among AARP members included ensuring Americans can see the doctor of their choice (76%), stopping insurance companies from denying coverage because of a person’s health history (75%) and ensuring Americans can keep their current coverage (78%).  Majorities of self-identified Republicans supported most of the reform elements presented, including stopping discrimination because of pre-existing conditions (66%), covering routine preventive care (64%) and allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices (64%).

  LeaMond added: “The bill recently passed by the House incorporates the reforms that our members care most about.  We’ll continue the fight for these critical elements as the Senate takes up its own legislation in the coming weeks.  Our members, and all older Americans, are counting on lawmakers to reform the health care system this year.”

  Starting on Tuesday, November 17th, AARP will launch a new national television ad on a mix of news, lifestyle, cable and sports channels.  The ad, entitled “HELP,” demonstrates that people from all walks of life are feeling stranded by the current health care system.  It calls attention to the need for the kind of health care reform AARP has been fighting for: reform that will put patients first, protect Medicare, bring down drug costs and ensure that no one can be denied affordable health care because of their age or health history. 

  AARP surveyed its members on key health care reform provisions supported by AARP, as well as other contentious issues being discussed in the debate.  The telephone survey, fielded October 30 to November 8, 2009, was conducted with randomly selected members of AARP.  The nationally representative sample of 803 AARP members has a margin of error of +/- 3.5%.

  The complete survey is available at http://www.aarp.org/research/surveys/care/health/hcreform/articles/hrhcr.html

AARP Offers Tips for Night Driving; November Proclaimed Driver Safety Month

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

    Washington, DC – AARP Chief Operating Officer Tom Nelson offered the following statement in reaction to the Social Security Administration’s announcement this morning that 41 million older Americans 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. 

  “For over three decades, millions of Americans have counted on annual increases to help make ends meet.  In this economy, having this protection is even more critical for the financial security of all older Americans.

  “AARP applauds the President for urging Congress to extend for 2010 the $250 economic relief provided to older Americans this year.  We also commend members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, who have sponsored legislation to provide similar relief.  The 65+ population is facing extreme financial hardship; older Americans are paying more 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 low returns on interest bearing accounts.  Without relief, millions of older Americans will be unable to afford skyrocketing health care and prescription drug costs, as well as other basic necessities.

  “Today’s news of no COLA gives Congress another reason to act quickly and pass legislation to provide needed assistance for older Americans whose benefits will be frozen next year. AARP will continue to work with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to provide $250 in economic relief to millions of seniors who count on Social Security to pay their bills.”

  For more information, please visit www.aarp.org.

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Legislation passed today is yet another milestone in the long journey to health care reform

 WASHINGTON—AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond released this statement following the Senate Finance Committee’s passage of the Affordable Health Choices Act:

 “We applaud the Senate Finance Committee for taking another important step toward fixing what’s wrong with our health care system.  Under the leadership of Chairman Baucus, the legislation reported today moves us even closer to providing much-needed relief to millions of older Americans who still face challenges accessing affordable, quality health care services. 

 “The Senate Finance Committee bill makes important improvements to the Medicare program by increasing preventive benefits, making sure Medicare’s doctors do not face a pay cut this year, and most notably for AARP members—by reducing drug costs for seniors who fall into the dreaded Medicare doughnut hole, a costly gap in prescription drug coverage.   Too often, those who fall into this coverage gap stop taking their prescription drugs because they simply can’t afford to.  While we applaud this assistance with drug costs in the doughnut hole, we urge the Senate to go further to meet the President’s pledge to completely close the doughnut hole.  With the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, we believe this bill should be improved so that it can help millions of older Americans afford their needed medications and avoid more intensive and costly care later in life.

 “The bill also makes some improvements on age-rating, a discriminatory practice that allows insurers to charge exorbitant, age-based premiums to older Americans.  Unfortunately, the bill will still allow insurance companies to charge older Americans premiums that are four times more than premiums for younger Americans, making it difficult for older Americans to afford health coverage.   We hope the final Senate bill will be improved in this area. 

 “Finally, we strongly support provisions in the Senate Finance bill to expand home and community-based services (HCBS).  The vast majority of Americans age 50 and over want to live in their homes and communities as long as they can.  HCBS provisions are not only cost-effective, but can also help slow the growth in health care spending and keep millions of Americans out of nursing homes and in their own homes.

 “The legislation passed today is yet another milestone in the long journey to health care reform.  We look forward to continuing our work with Chairman Baucus and his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to further strengthen the bill, and we will continue to fight for reform that protects benefits for people in Medicare, improves health care affordability, and improves the health of every American.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2009
CONTACT:
AARP Media Relations, 202-434-2560, media@aarp.org

AARP ENDORSES SENATE, HOUSE LEGISLATION TO COMBAT AGE DISCRIMATION

AARP Exec. VP Nancy LeaMond Cites Sen. Harkin, Rep. Miller Companion Bills as “Important First Step” in Remedy to “Misguided” Court Decision

Washington, DC – AARP has joined key congressional leaders to endorse Senate and House legislation introduced today to defend the civil rights of older workers in the workplace. The legislation offers a remedy for the Supreme Court’s age discrimination decision last June in the case of Jack Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc.

AARP endorsed the “Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act” at a Capitol Hill press conference today with chief sponsor of the legislation Chairman Tom Harkin of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee; lead co-sponsor Chairman Patrick Leahy of the Senate Judiciary Committee; and Chairman George Miller of the House Education and Labor Committee. The bill is in response to the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling in Gross that older workers bringing employment discrimination claims must meet a higher standard to prove their claims of illegal bias than others who have been subject to unfair discrimination at work, such as discrimination based on race or sex. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) bars discrimination against workers 40 years of age or older.

“AARP commends Chairmen Harkin, Leahy and Miller for their critical work to put an end to age discrimination in the workplace,” AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond said today. “Their bill will protect older workers from being relegated to second class status when they try to vindicate their rights under the ADEA. Unless Congress passes this bill, too many older workers who have been victims of arbitrary age discrimination will be denied their day in court.”

The legislation addresses a June court decision that changed proof standards in place for decades, and has left many victims of age bias without a remedy. For instance, workers with valid claims of bias on grounds of age and race, or age and sex, have had to give up their claims of age bias in order to pursue other claims.

The Gross decision came in the midst of difficult economic conditions for older workers facing special obstacles. The unemployment rate for persons aged 55 and over is now well above what is has been for most of the past six decades. According to the most recent statistics, the average duration of unemployment for older workers was more than 12 weeks longer than it was when the recession started in 2007.

At the same time, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has reported a significant uptick in the number of age discrimination complaints. For the 2008 fiscal year, 29 percent more age discrimination charges were filed than in the previous fiscal year.

An AARP survey announced last year found that 60 percent of those surveyed aged 45 to 74 said that they had personally faced or observed age discrimination in the workplace.

“We urge Congress to quickly approve this bill as an important first step in a concerted effort to restore protections under our age discrimination laws, and to correct a misguided court decision that has jeopardized the rights of all older workers to be judged fairly on their abilities, not their age,” LeaMond said.

For more information, please visit www.aarp.org.
 

AARP Is Fighting For Your Health – Because You’re Worth Fighting For

The September issue of the AARP Bulletin features an open letter on health care reform from CEO Barry Rand and President Jennie Chin Hansen.

While every AARP household will soon receive the Bulletin in the mail, we are publishing it here because the message is so important and so timely.

Thanks for reading it!

Health Reform: The Time to Act is Now

Dear AARP Members,

Health care is dominating the news these days – and it should. All sides agree on the diagnosis: While America’s health care system is known for research and innovation, it unfortunately costs too much, wastes too much, makes too many mistakes and gives us back too little value for our money. 

1. Barry Rand, CEO