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Santa Fe, New Mexico
United States
Santa Fe, New Mexico
United States
AARP Puts Its Members Interests First
The following is AARP's response to an editorial that ran in the Albuquerque Oct. 25th:
Dear Editor,
This paper’s recent editorial (“AARP/Insurance Push Confusing for Seniors,” Oct. 25) was riddled with errors that need to be corrected.
AARP was founded by Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus in 1958, primarily to make insurance available to retirees as no such health care plans did until the creation of Medicare – a lifeline program that AARP has championed ever since. Dr. Andrus’ vision was to unify the collective power of older Americans to achieve positive social change through direct advocacy, public service, and the marketplace.
AARP does not hide from anyone the fact that we brand insurance plans that we believe can help older Americans. AARP puts its name on insurance products that are consistent with our advocacy positions, providing more consumer-friendly options to older Americans who have traditionally been shut out by private health insurers. The royalties we receive from branding these services allow AARP to conduct the advocacy, service and consumer protection work we do at both the local and national levels.
As long as older Americans struggle with private insurance practices that deny access or charge excessive premiums based only on their age, AARP will continue to work with the private marketplace to make sure better options exist where there were previously none. There is no secret about this, and we make no apologies.
But even this is completely irrelevant to the current health reform debate. Our advocacy positions are determined by a board made up of volunteers – doctors, nurses, teachers and business leaders – from across the country. Our members’ interests drive these positions – not the other way around.
As the health reform debate continues, AARP has made a promise to all seniors that we will fight to protect Medicare. Health reform must get rid of waste, fraud and inefficiency in Medicare to improve the quality of care we receive, lower personal costs, and save billions of dollars throughout the system.
And yes, Medicare Advantage is one area that needs to be studied.
AARP believes that Medicare Advantage is an important part of the Medicare program, and we brand some of these plans here in New Mexico. However, Medicare pays 14 percent more per patient, on average, through Medicare Advantage plans, than through traditional Medicare. Everybody in Medicare subsidizes these additional costs – with no proof that they are actually providing better care.
If we’re going to protect Medicare, we must eliminate waste and bring Medicare Advantage costs down. Reducing these subsidies could save more than $100 billion that would be better used by strengthening Medicare for everybody. This could mean protecting patients’ access to their doctors; covering preventive care like screening for diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis; and closing the dreaded “doughnut hole” coverage gap in Medicare’s prescription drug program.
It is patently false to suggest that our position on Medicare Advantage is at all based on any financial interest. Our advocacy positions drive all of the work in our products and services, and we would gladly forego every dime of revenue we receive in exchange for a health care system that works for everyone.
Sincerely,
Tom Nelson
Chief Operating Officer
AARP
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Added: Nov 2, 2009
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