You are now leaving the AARP.org web site. Please visit us again soon, or
use the Cancel button to remain on our site. AARP is not associated
with the site you are about to visit, and we are not responsible for its
content. If the site is unknown, or you are unsure of its content, you
can research it further with Stopbadware.org
or McAfee.com.
You are about to report a violation of our Terms of Use. All reports are strictly confidential. AARP.org will review this report and take action as necessary.
You are about to report a violation of our Terms of Use. All reports are strictly confidential. AARP.org will review this report and take action as necessary.
ATTENTION NEWS DESKS: AARP is recording House and Senate roll
call votes on key issues throughout the 111th
Congress, and informing its nearly 40 million members of the
results of these key votes.
AARP Praises House Passage of Health Care Reform Bill
Critical legislation would strengthen Medicare, improve
coverage for all Americans
SUMMARY: Today the United States House of Representatives
passed critical health care reform legislation that would strengthen
Medicare for seniors and end discrimination by insurance companies
that prices millions of Americans out of affordable health coverage.
The Affordable Health Care for
America Act (H.R. 3962) makes prescription drugs more affordable for
seniors by closing the dangerous gap in Medicare drug coverage and
allowing the program to negotiate lower drug prices. It adds
cost-free preventive services like cancer screenings and cracks down
on waste and fraud to protect and strengthen traditional Medicare
benefits. In addition, the legislation provides benefits to
help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes
and communities by establishing the Community Living Assistance
Services and Supports (CLASS) program.
For all Americans—especially
those age 50 to 64 who often struggle to find affordable
insurance—this plan strictly limits how much more insurance
companies can charge based on age, and stops insurers from denying
coverage based on a person’s health history or
gender. For those who still cannot find affordable coverage on
their own, this bill offers help so they can purchase insurance.
Votes on H.R. 3962 by
Washington state House delegation
Inslee, Jay:Yes
Larsen, Rick:Yes
Baird, Brian:No
Hastings, Doc: No
McMorris Rodgers, Cathy:No
****, Norm:Yes
McDermott, Jim:Yes
Reichert, Dave:No
Smith, Adam:Yes
** How a legislator votes on issues is only one factor in
evaluating his or her legislative performance, which should also
include such things as constituency services and committee work.
“We applaud those members
of the House who supported this crucial legislation,” said
AARP Advocacy Director Ingrid McDonald. “This bill will
help millions of older Americans get the health coverage they
need, while strengthening Medicare for today’s seniors and
future generations. We look forward to working with these
lawmakers to pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act this year.”
AARP notified the
111th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on
key legislation important to its nearly 40 million members and
reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its
members. “When Americans understand the issues and
where their lawmakers stand, they can make smart
decisions. AARP will be there to give our members, as well as
all Americans, the most accurate information we can,”
McDonald concluded.
AARP members can see how their
representatives voted on health care reform by going to www.aarp.org/governmentwatch. AARP’s Government Watch
is a one-stop online portal that will be tracking and
publicizing every designated key vote on issues facing Americans
age 50-plus. A “Key Vote Summary”
highlighting votes on these issues will be published at the end
of each congressional session.
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.
President Obama Speaks to AARP Members About Health Care via Nationwide Webcast
