AARP Endorses Affordable Health Care for America Act
“This bill is a critical step in providing affordable care choices for South Dakota’s seniors, and South Dakotans of all ages.”
[Sioux Falls, SD]—Today AARP announced its endorsement of the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) and the accompanying Medicare physician payment reform bill (H.R. 3961). The Association’s support follows nearly two years of work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to craft a health care reform plan that meets the needs of AARP’s nearly 40 million members -- including nearly 104,000 in South Dakota, and all older Americans. Among those needs are reforms that strictly curb insurance companies’ discrimination against older Americans and Medicare improvements that strengthen benefits while protecting the program for future generations.
“AARP can say with confidence this bill will improve benefits for South Dakota’s seniors on Medicare, and provide needed health insurance market reforms to ensure every South Dakotan can purchase affordable health coverage,” said Sarah Jennings, State Director for AARP South Dakota.
“More than 14,000 South Dakotans age 50-64 are currently priced out of the health insurance market. That’s simply unacceptable,” continued Jennings. “Additionally, tens of thousands of South Dakotans fall into the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” each year. No one in our state or anywhere in America should have to choose between paying for groceries and their prescriptions. The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a critical step in providing affordable care choices for South Dakota’s seniors, and South Dakotans of all ages.”
Today’s endorsement marks the first time in this legislative battle that AARP has put its full weight behind a comprehensive health care reform package. In the coming days, AARP will be educating its members about the health care reform package through its publications, paid advertising and more than five million calls and e-mails to its grassroots activists.
“AARP South Dakota and our members will be urging Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin to support this important measure when the House of Representatives votes in the coming days,” said Jennings.
The Affordable Health Care for America Act and the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act contain critical components AARP has been fighting for on behalf of its members and all older Americans to improve health care for them and their families. They include:
--Protecting and strengthening Medicare for today’s seniors and future generations of retirees;
--Ensuring seniors can see the doctor of their choice or find a doctor if they need one by improving Medicare’s payments to doctors;
--Lowering drug costs for seniors by closing the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” and allowing the government to negotiate with drug makers for lower drug prices;
--Taking steps to reduce waste, fraud, abuse and inefficiency in the Medicare program;
--Requiring Medicare and insurance companies to provide for important preventive services like screenings for diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis free of charge;
--Preventing insurers from denying affordable coverage to anyone because of their age or health;
--Limiting how much your insurance company can make you pay out-of-pocket;
--Providing affordable health insurance options for those who don’t have insurance; and
--Providing benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities.
Jennings concluded: “AARP is proud to endorse the Affordable Health Care for America Act and the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act, and we urge members of the House to pass this crucial legislation in the coming days to help fix our broken health care system.”
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