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As the lead sponsor of the Automatic IRA bill, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (D-2nd) is working to ensure that all employees have a simple way to save for retirement at work. The legislation would give workers the chance to build their own nest eggs and help put them on the road to lifetime financial security.
 
Rep. James McGovern (D-3rd) is a cosponsor of the Automatic IRA bill in the House, and Sen. John Kerry (D) is a cosponsor in the Senate.
 

To learn more about the Automatic IRA, click here.

Added: July 18, 2008
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On Sunday evening, Governor Patrick returned the state budget to Massachusetts legislators with his approvals and vetoes. In addition, the Governor issued a supplemental budget proposal to fund other important programs.

 
AARP Massachusetts urges members to contact your state legislators at 617-722-2000:
 
1)    Urge legislators to protect critical programs and services for Bay State residents, and override the following items vetoed by Gov. Patrick:
 
·        Prescription Advantage
    - Hold enrollees harmless by keeping cost sharing at 2007  
      levels and prohibiting increases without legislative approval.
 
·        Long Term Care Continuum
- Restore MassHealth long term care funding by $17.5 million.
- Restore the nursing home criteria known as "Score 3" which often protects the most frail and vulnerable individuals from inappropriate discharge or denied admission.
 
2)    Support funding for heating and energy assistance, included by Gov. Patrick:
 
·        Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Support $20 million to assist some residents with heating costs.

 
Call your state representative and senator today at 617-722-2000. Urge them to override the Prescription Advantage and long term care vetoes and support LIHEAP funding.
 

 
Added: July 17, 2008
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AARP Thanks Congress for Keeping Medicare Fair,
Overriding White House Veto
 
Bipartisan Bill Improves Low-Income Help and Boosts Quality
through National E-Prescribing, Helps Ensure Access to Doctors
 
On Tuesday the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate voted overwhelmingly to override a White House veto and pass important Medicare legislation. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act will improve Medicare’s low-income programs, boost health care quality with a system of national e-prescribing, and help ensure the access of patients to their doctors.
 

MASSACHUSETTS
VOTED YES TO PASS MEDICARE BILL
VOTED NO ON MEDICARE BILL
Capuano, Michael (D-8th)
X
 
Delahunt, William (D-10th) *
 
 
Frank, Barney (D-4th)
X
 
Kennedy, Edward (D) *
 
 
Kerry, John (D)
X
 
Lynch, Stephen (D-9th)
X
 
Markey, Edward (D-7th)
X
 
McGovern, James (D-3rd)
X
 
Neal, Richard (D-2nd)
X
 
Olver, John (D-1st)
X
 
Tierney, John (D-6th)
X
 
Tsongas, Niki (D-5th)
X
 

*Did not vote
** How a legislator votes on issues is only one factor in evaluating his or her legislative performance, which should also include such things as constituency services and committee work.
 
“Yesterday’s vote is a victory for the 44 million Americans who depend on Medicare, and we applaud the Massachusetts delegation for its continued support,” said Deborah Banda, AARP Massachusetts state director.  “This bipartisan legislation will help more Americans afford their health care while bringing doctors offices and pharmacies into the 21st century with e-prescribing.” 
 
AARP has been advocating for several months to ensure that lawmakers keep Medicare fair for the people who depend on it when Congress addresses physician payment cuts. AARP has also been advocating for this bill’s improvements to Medicare, particularly the low-income programs and electronic prescribing.
 
Since launching the “Keep Medicare Fair” initiative in April, AARP’s grassroots volunteers and activists have sent more than 1.2 million messages to Congress and the White House.  As part of this effort, an AARP survey released May 19 found that of adults 50-plus, 81 percent oppose additional increases to Medicare premiums and 66 percent are less likely to vote for a Member of Congress who supports those increases.
 
AARP notified the 110th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its 39 million members and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members.
 
“We believe people make the right choices when they understand the issues and positions taken by their elected officials. AARP intends to ensure that its members get that information,” Banda concluded.

  

Added: July 16, 2008
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THE MASSACHUSETTS PRESCRIPTION REFORM COALITION EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY GUIDELINES ON GIFTS
 
Only Legislation Will Stop Unethical Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices
 
The Massachusetts Prescription Reform Coalition sees the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America’s (PhRMA) new voluntary ethics Code as recognizing the excessive nature and inappropriate influence of gifts pharmaceutical companies give to providers.  Their Code, rushed out last week in advance of legislation pending in the House, implicitly acknowledges how gifts can distort objectivity.  However, the PhRMA Code is neither sufficiently stringent nor enforced to change unethical marketing practices by pharmaceutical companies. 
 
The Coalition, of which AARP Massachusetts is a member, strongly supports the pharmaceutical gift ban included in Senate President Therese Murray’s healthcare cost control bill (S.2660), which the House is currently deliberating.  Only through law can Massachusetts have an adequately strong and enforceable statewide standard that applies to not only to all pharmaceutical companies, but also to bio-sciences and medical device companies.  The pharmaceutical industry has been allowed to self-regulate itself for years, but this has not deterred inappropriate gifts and payments.  The direct to physician marketing promotes the newest, most expensive drugs often with the least amount of safety and efficacy information, resulting in higher healthcare costs and compromised quality of care. 
 
Pharmaceutical industry gifts and payments to physicians have actually increased since PhRMA updated the Code in 2002.  The voluntary Code is ineffectual in regulating the industry because PhRMA allows adoption of the Code to be optional among its members.  It also relies companies to self-enforce.  For example, although the code says companies should not pay for the cost of travel, lodging or other personal expenses for those attending conferences or meetings, a survey conducted in 2003 and 2004 by the New England Journal of Medicine found that 35% of physicians reported receiving industry reimbursement for attendance at professional meetings and continuing medical education programs.  According to Shahram Ahari, former Eli Lilly sales representatives, it is common for sales representatives to give gifts in violation of the Code, including bottles of alcohol, tickets to entertainment events, electronics and even gym memberships. 
 
The new voluntary Code does not ban all gifts.  In fact, it will not limit nor require disclosure of dollars spent on speaking and consulting arrangements – the fastest growing category of industry marketing in recent years.  The Code will continue to allow meals brought into offices by pharmaceutical companies, which have been shown to be extremely common and influential.  Under the new Code pharmaceutical companies can give educational materials that frequently go beyond informational print outs to include software. 
 
The cost of pharmaceutical companies’ excessive marketing through gifts and payments to physicians are passed on to consumers, employers, and the state in the form of inflated prescription drug prices – prices that threaten access to needed medications and strain individuals’ and the Commonwealth’s budgets.  Patients deserve to know they’re being prescribed the most effective drug based on their treatment needs alone. By banning pharmaceutical gifts, the Commonwealth will ensure that everyone has access to the right drug at the right price.
 
Added: July 14, 2008
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Latest nationwide efforts to thank supporters in Congress, call for full enactment.
 
Nancy LeaMond, AARP’s Executive Vice President of Social Impact, announced the Association’s next round of activity to encourage the enactment of the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. 
 
After having been passed by both chambers of Congress with veto-proof margins, the bill now sits with the President.  Administration officials have indicated his intention to veto the bill. 
 
“We’re hoping for the best and preparing for everything else,” said LeaMond.  “We are not taking any signature or vote for granted.  We’ve come too far in this campaign to let up at the end.”
 
On Friday, AARP and its volunteers began reaching out to the White House encouraging the President’s signature of the bill.  AARP CEO Bill Novelli is sending a letter to the White House asking the President to reconsider his intention to veto given the bill’s strong bipartisan support.  The White House also received more than 45,000 emails on Friday from grassroots volunteers encouraging the President to sign the bill today.
 
AARP is also launching a national effort to thank the overwhelming bipartisan majority of Representatives and Senators who voted to pass the bill and ask them to continue their support in the event of a vote to override a presidential veto. 
 
AARP’s activities early next week will include:
 
  • Coordinated visits from constituents to Washington and district offices of the bill’s supporters;
  • A national write-in effort from volunteers to opinion-leaders and news outlets;
  • Ads placed in key outlets encouraging a veto override, if necessary; and
  • Continued grassroots contacts to legislative offices. 
 
Since launching its national Keep Medicare Fair campaign in April, AARP volunteers have sent more than 910,000 emails, phone calls, faxes and petition signatures to Congress in support of a bill to improve and protect Medicare.
 
“After months of debate on how to strengthen and protect Medicare, we finally have a bill that would improve low-income, prevention, and mental health programs, and boost health care quality through national e-prescribing,” added LeaMond.  “We are confident and hopeful that this bill, which has earned broad bipartisan support, will become law.”
Added: July 14, 2008
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  AARP: Senate Does the Right Thing on Medicare Bill Second Time Around

Bill Novelli, AARP’s Chief Executive Officer, issued the following statement on today’s vote by the Senate to pass the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. 

 “They say that life doesn’t give you second chances.  The Senate got a big one this week, and AARP applauds the bipartisan majority of Senators who voted to pass a bill that would protect and improve Medicare for the 44 million Americans who depend on it.  This bill would allow people in Medicare to maintain access to their doctors, improve benefits for low-income, prevention, and mental health programs, and boost quality through national e-prescribing. 

 “Today’s vote – which came less than two weeks after a similar effort fell one vote short – mirrored the broad support with which the House of Representatives earlier passed this bill.  This shows what can happen when leaders in Washington break through partisan gridlock.

 “We hope the President recognizes the overwhelming bipartisan support that passed this bill in both chambers of Congress and signs it into law.”

Added: July 11, 2008
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   AARP, "Identifying At-Risk Drivers Critical to Making Roads Safe But Alternatives to Driving Also Key"

 Washington In reaction to driver licensing recommendations issued by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety today, AARP released the following statement from Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond:

   "By 2030, more than 71.5 million people will be age 65+ and drivers 65 and older will represent a quarter of all drivers. With less than a generation to spare, we must build consensus around how to keep the roads safe for everyone. We must empower safe drivers to stay on the road for as long as possible, and we must create options for at-risk drivers so they are free to hang up their keys without losing their mobility.

  "Investment now in research to develop effective ways to identify at-risk drivers will make the roads safer for everyone as our population ages and we applaud the AAA Foundation for affectively addressing part of the challenge of licensing from a variety of perspectives: health, driving fitness, and family and community involvement. Further, AARP supports AAA’s recommendation for regular, in-person driver license renewal for all.

  "The closer engagement of the medical community and the expansion of services helping at-risk drivers transition out of driving will make it easier for those who should hang up their keys.

  "AARP is optimistic that by focusing on the challenges raised by a growing population of older drivers, we will help make roads safer for everyone and for generations to come. Left turn lanes and signals, improved lighting and better signage will reduce driving mistakes and save lives of all ages. Cars themselves are becoming safer and emerging technology will improve their safety even more.

  "Finally, we all have a responsibility to monitor our own driving skills and those of our family members, young and old. As today’s report states, ‘Driving is considered a privilege but mobility is a human right . . . people who cannot drive safely should not be allowed to drive, but there must be good options for them to get around once they stop driving.’"

  Read the AAA Foundation report here.

Added: July 10, 2008
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Last Thursday, before departing to observe the July 4th holiday, Massachusetts legislators approved next year's state budget.

The Commonwealth is facing fiscal challenges. However, the Massachusetts Legislature chose to fund critical programs and services for our residents.

Prescription Drug Costs
-New program and funding for evidence based outreach and education program.

Prescription Advantage
- Full funding.
- Maintained structural integrity and hold enrollees harmless by keeping cost sharing at 2007 levels and prohibiting increases without legislative approval.
- Ongoing open enrollment.

Long Term Care Continuum
- Adequate funding for a long term care continuum, that includes high quality, affordable skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, senior housing, and home and community based services, to meet the needs of our aging population.
- Adequate funding to provide home and community based care that enables older and disabled persons to remain healthy and independent.
- Adequate funding of skilled nursing facilities -- which often care for the most frail and vulnerable individuals; including the nursing home criteria known as "Score 3".
- New funding to rebalance the system to allow for more home and community based care.
- Increased funding for the Councils on Aging and Senior Centers.

Health Care Reform
- Adequate funding to implement the new health care reform law so that consumers will have access to affordable insurance products with meaningful benefits.
- Outreach grants to educate residents and assist in enrolling them in health care insurance coverage.

Money Management Program
- Maintained funding to operate the program statewide.

Please make 2 important calls today!
1. Contact your representative and senator at (617) 722-2000 and thank them for continuing to support important programs and services that help our residents remain healthy, independent and economically secure.
2. Contact
Governor Patrick at (617) 725-4000 and urge him to approve the budget as submitted.

Thank you again for your continued advocacy on these very important matters. 

 

Added: July 8, 2008
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 Congressman Richard Neal was a recent guest writer for AARP's blog SHAARPSession.  Check out what he had to say by clicking here.

 

Added: July 1, 2008
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Added: June 13, 2008
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