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Senator Snowe meets with AARP Maine on health care reform

For Immediate Release

August 18, 2009

Contact: Kate Bridges, 207-776-6301, kbridges@aarp.org
 
 
Today, AARP had the opportunity to meet with Senator Snowe about health care issues critical to those age 50 and older, and took the opportunity to clarify AARP’s position on some of the national reform proposals. AARP has not endorsed any of the current proposals but is committed to seeing reform enacted this year.
 
AARP State President, Nelson Megna, said he was pleased that he had an opportunity to reiterate with Senator Snowe how important it was that any reform maintains Medicare benefits yet removes waste and fraud in the program. 
 
AARP believes many costly hospital readmissions could be prevented by providing follow-up care to help individuals safely transition home after a hospital stay, therefore improving the quality of their health, lowering individuals’ costs, and saving billions of dollars in Medicare. In Maine, 18 percent of Medicare beneficiaries discharged from the hospital were re-admitted within 30 days. 
 
“The time for action on health care reform is long overdue. We can’t afford to wait another year to see reform happen. Senator Snowe has been a tireless advocate for health care affordability, and has assured us that Medicare benefits and quality of care would not be diminished,” noted AARP State Director, Nancy Kelleher.  
 
There are at least 20,000 Mainers ages 50 to 64 who are uninsured, and many more who are underinsured namely due to the high cost of insurance for this population. Kelleher stated, “Many of our members in Maine find they cannot afford to buy insurance on their own because of their age or health status. They are too young for Medicare, but old enough to be penalized in the insurance market.”
 
AARP suggests visiting the following websites for more information on AARP’s position or to get the facts on health care reform: HealthActionNow.org or Politifact.com. 
 
 
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 35.5 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 40 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
 
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