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A BIG WIN!!

AARP CEO Bill Novelli issued the following statement on yesterday'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. 

This 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.

Senior Vice President for Government Relations & Advocacy David Sloane added, "This is a very big win for our members, and great thanks go to all elements of AARP that helped make this happen. I particularly want to thank our state office colleagues and the GRA staff for all of their dedication and patience. It has been a huge effort and a long one, and we can all be gratified by this result."