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Serving 222,000 members in Nebraska, AARP is a nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to enhancing quality of life for all generations through positive social change
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"It has been wisely said that whatever many may say about the future, it is ours, not only that it may happen to us, but is in part made by us." --Ethel Percy Andrus
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AARP Members Strongly Support Health Reform

November 16, 2009

Survey Finds AARP Members Back Critical Provisions of Health Care Reform Legislation
LINCOLN--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 AARP State President Sunny Andrews. “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%).
 
Andrews 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%.
 
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 nearly 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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Added: November 16, 2009
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  Comments (2)  
LarryBrad
LarryBrad says:

Mixed message confusion: Several AARP officials have gone on record recently to say that AARP has not endorsed the President's Healthcare Plan but I keep getting these pro-rally and bogus Healthcare myth messages from AARP Nebraska. Your own CEO, said "?I want to make it clear that AARP has not endorsed any particular bill or any of the bills being debated in Congress today.' That is because nobody knows what a final bill -- especially H.R. 3200-- will even look like. Why would AARP Nebraska try to rally support for a draft bill that you already know has been rejected by most Americans and even many Democrats still insist on a single payer system? Are you giving free rides and t-shirts to those members who oppose H.R. 3200? Why don't AARP Nebraska do something useful like, say, do something that benefits retired people; If you didn't noticed while planning your Lincoln rally, social security increases stopped for the next two years, which medicare premiums go up. Hey, being a member of AARP has really paid off!! Now I'll make sure that I take a closer look at your event sponsors while I am at it
Posted: August 24, 2009 5:53PM EDT
wayneag
wayneag says:

who picked the speakers for October 9, 2008. You should have ask nebraska members we could have done much better!!
Posted: September 27, 2008 1:35PM EDT
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