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Older Drivers: Don't Get Caught in the Dark

AARP Offers Tips for Night Driving; November Proclaimed Driver Safety Month

The end of Daylight Saving Time on Nov. 1 doesn’t just mean you’re getting an extra hour of sleep. Setting clocks back one hour also means an extra hour of night driving, which can be problematic for everyone, particularly older drivers.

Even on familiar roads, motorists should use caution and watch for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists who will be less visible, especially during the first week of the time change. AARP urges all drivers to consider the link between night visibility and safe driving. If you have trouble seeing well at night, get your vision checked and consider taking a driver safety course to learn more about how to compensate in dark conditions and make sure you’re driving when you feel most comfortable.

To focus attention on roadway safety, AARP is proclaiming this November Driver Safety Month. Since folks will be driving more at night, AARP offers the following tips:

· See and be seen. Get your headlights checked, and turn them on one hour before sunset and keep them on one hour after sunrise to ensure maximum visibility.

· Stay alert on the road. With reduced visibility, it’s important to reduce your speed, be extra alert, and maintain a three-second following distance.

· Recognize and prevent drowsiness. The change in time can throw off our internal clock and may cause drowsiness, so run errands in the morning when you are fresher and more alert.

· Avoid sun glare. You may need to adjust to early morning or late afternoon sun glare that can cause reflections off car windows and hoods and decrease your visibility.

Now celebrating its 30th Anniversary, the AARP Driver Safety Program has provided instruction to more than 12 million participants nationwide seeking to refresh their driving skills. The no-test course updates drivers’ knowledge about relevant laws and offers strategies to compensate for age-related changes that affect driving ability.

The course also includes a section on assessing driving abilities, and since November is also National Caregiver Month, now may be a good time to have a “family conversation” about driving to help ensure your loved one stays safe on the road.

Depending on insurance providers and state regulations, graduates of the AARP Driver Safety Program courses – both classroom and online – may be eligible to receive a discount on their auto insurance premiums. All participants should check with their provider for further details.

Find information on local courses, via telephone 1-888-227-7669 or online. www.aarp.org/drive. Find more information about AARP’s online course. www.aarp.org/drive/online.

Added: November 1, 2009
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AARP Urges Swift Congressional Action on COLA Relief

Millions on Social Security to Receive No Increase for First Time Since 1975

Washington, DC – AARP Chief Operating Officer Tom Nelson offered the following statement in reaction to the Social Security Administration’s announcement this morning that 41 million older Americans will not receive a Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 2010. Since automatic Social Security adjustments went into effect in 1975, there has never been a year without a COLA.

“For over three decades, millions of Americans have counted on annual increases to help make ends meet. In this economy, having this protection is even more critical for the financial security of all older Americans.

“AARP applauds the President for urging Congress to extend for 2010 the $250 economic relief provided to older Americans this year. We also commend members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, who have sponsored legislation to provide similar relief. The 65+ population is facing extreme financial hardship; older Americans are paying more out of pocket for medical care, have experienced a real decline in their retirement accounts and in housing values, face longer periods of unemployment for those who need to work, and low returns on interest bearing accounts. Without relief, millions of older Americans will be unable to afford skyrocketing health care and prescription drug costs, as well as other basic necessities.

“Today’s news of no COLA gives Congress another reason to act quickly and pass legislation to provide needed assistance for older Americans whose benefits will be frozen next year. AARP will continue to work with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to provide $250 in economic relief to millions of seniors who count on Social Security to pay their bills.”

For more information, please visit www.aarp.org.

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Added: October 15, 2009
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AARP: Senate Vote is Welcome Step toward Health Reform

Legislation passed today is yet another milestone in the long journey to health care reform

WASHINGTON—AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond released this statement following the Senate Finance Committee’s passage of the Affordable Health Choices Act:

“We applaud the Senate Finance Committee for taking another important step toward fixing what’s wrong with our health care system. Under the leadership of Chairman Baucus, the legislation reported today moves us even closer to providing much-needed relief to millions of older Americans who still face challenges accessing affordable, quality health care services.

“The Senate Finance Committee bill makes important improvements to the Medicare program by increasing preventive benefits, making sure Medicare’s doctors do not face a pay cut this year, and most notably for AARP members—by reducing drug costs for seniors who fall into the dreaded Medicare doughnut hole, a costly gap in prescription drug coverage. Too often, those who fall into this coverage gap stop taking their prescription drugs because they simply can’t afford to. While we applaud this assistance with drug costs in the doughnut hole, we urge the Senate to go further to meet the President’s pledge to completely close the doughnut hole. With the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, we believe this bill should be improved so that it can help millions of older Americans afford their needed medications and avoid more intensive and costly care later in life.

“The bill also makes some improvements on age-rating, a discriminatory practice that allows insurers to charge exorbitant, age-based premiums to older Americans. Unfortunately, the bill will still allow insurance companies to charge older Americans premiums that are four times more than premiums for younger Americans, making it difficult for older Americans to afford health coverage. We hope the final Senate bill will be improved in this area.

“Finally, we strongly support provisions in the Senate Finance bill to expand home and community-based services (HCBS). The vast majority of Americans age 50 and over want to live in their homes and communities as long as they can. HCBS provisions are not only cost-effective, but can also help slow the growth in health care spending and keep millions of Americans out of nursing homes and in their own homes.

“The legislation passed today is yet another milestone in the long journey to health care reform. We look forward to continuing our work with Chairman Baucus and his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to further strengthen the bill, and we will continue to fight for reform that protects benefits for people in Medicare, improves health care affordability, and improves the health of every American.”

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Added: October 13, 2009
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AARP, Pediatricians Jointly Call for Health Reform

Contact: Martin DeAgostino For Immediate Release

(317) 423-7105 Oct. 5, 2009

mdeagostino@aarp.org

AARP and Pediatrics Academy Issue Joint Call

for Comprehensive Health Reform in 2009

Letter cites systemic failings and problems jointly faced by young and old

INDIANAPOLIS – AARP Indiana and the Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics are urging Congress to pass health reform legislation that will benefit Indiana’s oldest and youngest citizens.

The two groups said Congress must act this year to address problems that plague the health insurance and health delivery systems. Their joint call identifies several common problems faced by young and old, including insurance company discrimination based on pre-existing conditions and the prohibitive cost of many preventive services.

The groups issued their call in an Oct. 5 letter to the editor distributed to 21 daily Indiana newspapers. The letter was signed by Sarah Stelzner, MD, co-president of the Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and June Lyle, state director of AARP Indiana.

The text of the letter follows:

America’s last substantive debate about health care reform collapsed 16 years ago amid partisan rancor, public anxiety and health-industry resistance.

Yet time has only aggravated the central issues behind that debate: unacceptably high numbers of uninsured and underinsured Americans of all ages; spiraling health care costs for individuals, business and government; and weakoutcomes relative to health care spending (fully 16 percent of gross domestic product this year).

As voices for Indiana’s oldest and youngest citizens, AARP Indiana and the Indiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics share the belief that the status quo cannot hold. And together we urge Congress to pass meaningful health reform legislation yet this year.

The stakes are too high for delay.

As we write, almost 9 million children and 7 million adults ages 50-64 are uninsured. America ranks 24^th in the world in infant mortality rates. Prescription drugs remain too costly, especially for the 3.4 million seniors who fall into the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole” each year. And 30 percent of people age 19-26 are uninsured as they should be transitioning from public programs or their parents’ insurance into employer-based coverage. This is especially true for young people with pre-existing conditions such as Type 1 diabetes.

To be sure, Congress has acted in the past to address the health care needs of young and old – at least in part.

n It created Medicare in 1965 (demonized at the time as a socialistic path to rationing) and added the Part D prescription drug benefit in 2003.

n Congress also created the Childrens Health Insurance Program in 1997 and reauthorized it earlier this year – with joint support from the American Academy of Pediatrics and AARP.

But too much unfinished business remains.

Children, youth and seniors alike face prohibitive cost sharing or co-payments for crucial preventive care services, including childhood immunizations and adult cancer screenings. Young and old are harmed by shameful racial disparities in health care. And pre-existing conditions – a reality for children as well as adults – too often exclude vulnerable populations from needed care.

Delay will only aggravate the problems that have festered too long already. The policy options are well known. The financing options are well known. Congress must act now to strengthen our health and our future by passing meaningful health care reform.

America’s youngest and oldest citizens are depending on it.

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Added: October 7, 2009
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AARP Endorses Federal Age Discrimination Legislation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2009
CONTACT:
AARP Media Relations, 202-434-2560, media@aarp.org

AARP ENDORSES SENATE, HOUSE LEGISLATION TO COMBAT AGE DISCRIMATION

AARP Exec. VP Nancy LeaMond Cites Sen. Harkin, Rep. Miller Companion Bills as “Important First Step” in Remedy to “Misguided” Court Decision

Washington, DC – AARP has joined key congressional leaders to endorse Senate and House legislation introduced today to defend the civil rights of older workers in the workplace. The legislation offers a remedy for the Supreme Court’s age discrimination decision last June in the case of Jack Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc.

AARP endorsed the “Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act” at a Capitol Hill press conference today with chief sponsor of the legislation Chairman Tom Harkin of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee; lead co-sponsor Chairman Patrick Leahy of the Senate Judiciary Committee; and Chairman George Miller of the House Education and Labor Committee. The bill is in response to the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling in Gross that older workers bringing employment discrimination claims must meet a higher standard to prove their claims of illegal bias than others who have been subject to unfair discrimination at work, such as discrimination based on race or sex. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) bars discrimination against workers 40 years of age or older.

“AARP commends Chairmen Harkin, Leahy and Miller for their critical work to put an end to age discrimination in the workplace,” AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond said today. “Their bill will protect older workers from being relegated to second class status when they try to vindicate their rights under the ADEA. Unless Congress passes this bill, too many older workers who have been victims of arbitrary age discrimination will be denied their day in court.”

The legislation addresses a June court decision that changed proof standards in place for decades, and has left many victims of age bias without a remedy. For instance, workers with valid claims of bias on grounds of age and race, or age and sex, have had to give up their claims of age bias in order to pursue other claims.

The Gross decision came in the midst of difficult economic conditions for older workers facing special obstacles. The unemployment rate for persons aged 55 and over is now well above what is has been for most of the past six decades. According to the most recent statistics, the average duration of unemployment for older workers was more than 12 weeks longer than it was when the recession started in 2007.

At the same time, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has reported a significant uptick in the number of age discrimination complaints. For the 2008 fiscal year, 29 percent more age discrimination charges were filed than in the previous fiscal year.

An AARP survey announced last year found that 60 percent of those surveyed aged 45 to 74 said that they had personally faced or observed age discrimination in the workplace.

“We urge Congress to quickly approve this bill as an important first step in a concerted effort to restore protections under our age discrimination laws, and to correct a misguided court decision that has jeopardized the rights of all older workers to be judged fairly on their abilities, not their age,” LeaMond said.

For more information, please visit www.aarp.org.

Added: October 7, 2009
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AARP Seeks Emergency Relief for Older Americans Facing COLA Loss

Contact: Mary Liz Burns For Immediate Release

202-434-2560 Oct. 1, 2009

mlburns@aarp.org

AARP Seeks Emergency Relief for Older Americans Facing COLA Loss

Urges Congress to pass legislation now to address lack of Social Security COLA

Washington, DC –With an expected announcement of no Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 2010, AARP CEO Barry Rand called on House and Senate leaders to provide $250 in emergency relief to millions of older Americans who are struggling in this economic climate. AARP will work with members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to urge quick passage of legislation that will help combat rising health care and prescription drug costs that consume an increasing amount of seniors’ income each year.

Excerpts from Rand’s letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA), House Minority Leader John Boehner (OH), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (NV), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) follow:

“On behalf of our 40 million members nationwide, AARP would like to express our strong support for providing America's seniors with $250 in emergency relief as the appropriate legislative response to the projected lack of a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2010.”

“Seniors spend a disproportionate share of their income (about 30 percent on average) on health care costs, which continue to increase well above the rate of overall inflation. The combination of higher health care costs, including prescription drug prices, and a stagnant Social Security benefit is particularly troubling and will result in lower net Social Security payments to millions of America’s seniors in January 2010.”

“Many senior citizens have lost a significant portion of their retirement savings due to the recent downturn in the U.S. economy. Unlike younger Americans, however, retirees have less time to make up substantial stock market and 401(k) account losses. The decline in housing prices in many parts of the country may also cause severe difficulties for those seniors who need to tap the equity in their homes in order to fund their retirement.”

“We urge you to pass legislation as soon as possible to provide relief to millions of Americans who will not receive a COLA next year.”

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Added: October 2, 2009
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Bipartisan Vote Protects Seniors from Medicare Premium Hike

Contact: Martin DeAgostino For Immediate Release

(317) 423-7105 Sept. 25, 2009

mdeagostino@aarp.org

Bipartisan House Vote Protects Seniors from Medicare Premium Hike

Action will offset loss of Social Security COLA

AARP applauds Congress for its strong bipartisan vote this week to hold Medicare premiums stable for all beneficiaries next year.

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed the Medicare Premium Fairness Act (HR 3631) by a vote of 406 to 18.

The action will help offset an earlier government decision to withhold cost-of-living (COLA) increases from Social Security checks next year.

“As health care costs continue to soar despite lower inflation throughout the economy, older Americans are hit particularly hard,” AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond said. “Retirees have seen their savings wiped away by market losses while their health care bills continue to climb. People in Medicare today spend nearly a third of their income on health care. The lack of a cost-of-living update in Social Security means that millions more in Medicare could see their health care costs rise further out of reach.

“By holding Medicare premiums steady for all beneficiaries for the next year —premiums that have doubled since 2000 — this bill will help ensure that health care is more affordable for people in Medicare — without burdening taxpayers or future generations with new spending,” LeaMond said.

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Added: September 25, 2009
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AARP is on YOUR side

AARP Is Fighting For Your Health – Because You’re Worth Fighting For

As Washington continues the debate over health care reform, AARP has chosen a side – yours.

We’re fighting to protect the Medicare benefits you’ve earned. To guarantee that you’ll never be denied coverage because of your health or age. To prevent anyone from coming between you and your doctor. And to make sure you don’t take a backseat to insurance companies.

AARP’s mission is to make our members’ voices heard.

That’s why we’ve made it clear to Congress and the President that we will fight with the strength of our 40 million members against any health care reform proposal that would cut Medicare benefits or increase out-of-pocket costs for seniors.

AARP continues to track the latest developments in Washington in order to provide you with the information you need to decide what health care reform will mean for you.

Strengthening Medicare Medicare is a sacred promise that was made to seniors – because no one should be left to struggle with medical bills after a lifetime of hard work. At AARP, we’ve worked hard to protect and improve Medicare since its inception, and we’re not about to stop now.

Protecting Your Benefits: AARP is fighting to ensure seniors get the benefits they’ve earned and to strengthen Medicare for future generations.

We’re also working to fill in gaps in today’s benefit package, such as closing the Part D prescription drug coverage gap (the so-called “doughnut hole.”)

And, we’re working to eliminate out-of-pocket costs for important preventive care like cancer screenings and diabetes tests.

Eliminating Waste: AARP is fighting to get rid of waste, fraud and inefficiency in Medicare to better ensure the timely delivery of health benefits, both now and to future generations when they retire.

Unfortunately, Medicare costs – like all health costs – are skyrocketing due in large part to billions of dollars in system waste, inefficiency, and fraud. For example, Medicare is paying billions in extra subsidies to private insurance companies – spending 14 percent more per patient, on average, than for traditional Medicare. These are tax dollars that should be going for your care, not insurance company profits.

Other ways to reduce waste include reducing over-billing by providers, cutting out unnecessary and duplicate tests, and cracking down on those who fraudulently bill Medicare.

We can also save individuals and Medicare money by preventing dangerous hospital readmissions by providing follow-up care that will help individuals safely transition back home after a hospital stay.

Preserving Your Choice of Doctor: At AARP, we know how important it is for our members to have the freedom to choose their own doctor. That’s why we’re fighting to ensure doctors get paid fairly. Without health reform, Medicare doctors will be forced to take a 21 percent pay cut.

We also support giving primary care providers bonus payments, which will help ensure that people with chronic conditions can get the care they need.

No One Between You and Your Health Care: AARP is fighting to ensure that all health decisions are made by you and your doctor, not your insurance company or the government. No matter what your age, your care should be your choice.

We’re also working to ensure that older Americans have the choice to receive the services they need at home rather than in a more costly institution.

UHealth Care for 50+ Americans AARP is fighting to ensure health care reform prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to you because of your health or age. To protect Medicare so it’s there when you’re ready to retire. To ensure you and your doctor are making treatment decisions – not the government or your insurance company. To make sure your care isn’t taking a back seat to insurance companies.

Preventing Discrimination: AARP is fighting for health reform to stop insurance companies from using your health or age as a reason to deny coverage.

We believe insurance companies should not be allowed to use age as an excuse to charge unaffordable premiums. Or to deny coverage if you have a pre-existing condition or drop coverage if you get sick.

And we believe that those who cannot afford it should get help paying their premiums.

Protecting Consumers: AARP is fighting to stop the high prices charged by drug companies by: enabling drug price negotiation; allowing safe, legal importation of lower-priced prescription drugs from abroad; and permitting the sale of generic versions of biologic drugs – costly medications for diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis.

Protecting Medicare: AARP is fighting to protect Medicare so that you and your children and grandchildren have the health coverage they need when they retire.

No One Between You and Your Health Care: AARP is fighting to ensure that all health decisions are made by you and your doctor, not your insurance company or the government. No matter what your age, your care should be your choice.

Added: September 22, 2009
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Open Letter to Our Members

The September issue of the AARP Bulletin features an open letter on health care reform from CEO Barry Rand and President Jennie Chin Hansen.

While every AARP household will soon receive the Bulletin in the mail, we are publishing it here because the message is so important and so timely.

Thanks for reading it!

Health Reform: The Time to Act is Now

Dear AARP Members,

Health care is dominating the news these days – and it should. All sides agree on the diagnosis: While America’s health care system is known for research and innovation, it unfortunately costs too much, wastes too much, makes too many mistakes and gives us back too little value for our money.

Rarely does a policy issue touch so closely to each of our lives. We hear every day from members who tell us heartbreaking stories … the 60-year-old who couldn’t afford her insurance and had to declare bankruptcy … the 80-year-old who can’t afford to fill his prescriptions … the 50-year-old breast cancer survivor crushed by health costs for her parents’ care and unable to get insurance for herself because of her preexisting condition.

Since health care is so personal yet so bit – accounting for a sixth of our nation’s economy – the solutions are complicated and confusing. There are many difficult questions to sort through, and reasonable people disagree on the wisdom of many specific proposals. Each of us owes it to ourselves to get educated on the issue and decide about these tough choices.

AARP is fighting to make sure health reform will:

Lower drug costs and strengthen Medicare. Close the Medicare Part D “doughnut hole,” ensure patients’ access to their doctors, not increase copays, and crack down on fraud and wasteful spending.

Protect your health care choices. Make sure you can choose your doctor, your health insurance plan and where to receive care.

End discrimination by insurance companies. Prevent insurance companies from denying you coverage because of a preexisting condition or using age to price Americans ages 50-64 out of affordable, quality health insurance.

Guarantee stable, affordable coverage. Ensure you have the security of knowing that if you lose or change jobs, you will be able to get affordable, quality health insurance.

The cost of doing nothing is unacceptable. Without reform, a family’s premiums for health insurance will almost double by 2016 to over $24,000. Medicare enrollees have already seen their premiums more than double this decade, and they already spend a third of their income on out-of-pocket health costs.

Despite the tremendous need for health care reform, many of you have expressed confusion, skepticism and even fear about what Congress is proposing.

These concerns are understandable. There has been a lot of misinformation and fear-mongering in this debate. From allegations about rationing care to wild reports of government-sponsored euthanasia, the rumors just keep getting crazier. Haven’t we all had enough?

Throughout the debate, we want to help you cut through the noise and find the facts about what health care reform means for you and your family.

AARP has been working with Republican and Democratic leaders for years, and we will continue to do so. To be clear: AARP has not endorsed any comprehensive health care reform bill – but we are fighting for a solution that improves health care for our members.

At the end of the day, the standard that AARP will use to judge the legislation is simple: Will this legislation improve health care and provide peace of mind to our members and their families?

We urge you to make your voice heard! Tell Congress not to let myths get in the way of fixing health care.

To get the facts, go to www.HealthActionNow.org or call 1-866-AARP-449.

Barry Rand, CEO

Jennie Chin Hansen, President

Added: August 28, 2009
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More Myths and Facts About Health Reform

Myths and misinformation continue to swirl around HR 3200, the chief health reform proposal now pending in the U.S. House of Representatives.

AARP has not endorsed this bill nor any other specific bill now pending in Congress. We do, however, support various elements of various proposals that we believe will advance our members' interest in quality, affordable health care options.

We also think it's important to separate myth from fact about some of those proposals, including these specific claims that have been made about HR 3200.

This is a somewhat long document, but we are confident it will bring important information to the forefront of our country's crucial national debate around health care reform.

Claim: Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS THAT SELF-INSURE!!

Response: FALSE.

The bill does not require the government to audit the books of all employers that self-insure. The bill simply requires that the government study the health care market for large employers. The purpose of the study is to learn more about:

How employers who self-insure and who buy insurance are alike and differ.
Whether self-insuring employers have sufficient funds to pay their health care obligations.
Whether rate regulations cause some employers to buy insurance and others to self-insure.

The results of the study are to be presented to Congress, along with any recommended changes, within 18 months of the bill passing, and then again 18 months after all the new regulations have taken effect. This will help Congress learn how the reforms are working and if they need to make any changes.

Claim: Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/ benefits you get

Response: FALSE.

A government-appointed advisory committee will recommend what essential benefits health insurance should include for plans offered through the proposed health insurance exchange, and what cost sharing should include. This committee will not influence what benefits are offered by grandfathered insurance plans outside the exchange. The committee is not in charge of deciding what specific treatments are covered.

The committee will be made up of representatives of the following groups: doctors and other health care providers, consumers, employers, labor groups, insurers, and experts on disability, children’s health, racial and other disparities, and health financing. Public input is required as the committee develops its recommendations. And as medical care improves, the committee will be able to recommend benefit changes to keep up with developments.

Claim: Pg 354 Sec 1177 - Govt WILL RESTRICT ENROLLMENT of Special needs people

Response: FALSE.

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are managed-care plans added to Medicare in 2003. Under current law, a SNP may restrict enrollment to specified groups of Medicare beneficiaries believed to benefit from specialty care tailored to their group characteristics. But Congress has had doubts about whether these plans were improving care for enrollees, so a law passed in 2008 would have ended the SNP program on December 31, 2009.

In fact, Section 1177 of the House bill would give SNPs more time to prove themselves by extending them from 2 to 5 more years, 2011 to 2014, depending on the type of plan. This provision in no way affects the ability of people with special needs to continue their traditional Medicare enrollment or enrollment in regular Medicare Advantage plans.

Claim: Pg 42 of HC Bill - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HC Benefits for you.

Response: FALSE.

Just as state insurance departments today see that health plans satisfy state insurance laws, the federal Health Choices Commissioner would work with state insurance departments and other federal agencies to make sure that qualified health plans meet any new standards. The Commissioner will also be responsible for seeing that Health Insurance Exchanges are up and running to offer people without access to employer-provided coverage a choice of qualified health plans, and for getting people who qualify for help the credits available under the bill to make premiums and cost sharing more affordable.

Claim: PG 50 Section 152 in HC bill - HC WILL BE PROVIDED TO ALL NON-US CITIZENS, illegal or otherwise

Response: FALSE.

People in this country illegally would not be eligible for coverage and subsidies under the new health insurance program (see p.143).

This section says nothing about immigrants, legal or otherwise. Rather, it would ban discrimination in health plans and health care based on personal characteristics, such as gender, ethnicity, race, and disability.

Claim: Pg 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill- ALL NON-RESIDENT ALIENS will be exempt from individual taxes. (Resident Americans will pay)

Response: TRUE.

Indeed, non-resident aliens would not be required to pay the tax – but they would not be eligible to receive health care subsidies or join the exchange either.

Claim: Pg 58 HC Bill - Govt will have real-time access to individuals finances & a National ID Healthcard will be issued

Response: FALSE.

This section of the proposed legislation has nothing to do with individual personal finances or with a National Health Identification card. In fact, in a search of all 1,018 pages of the legislation, there is not one mention of any such card, nor are there any sections that would permit expanded government access to your personal financial records. (Keep in mind that the Internal Revenue Service already has access to taxpayer data.) This proposed section would set standards for electronic health records – and it sets privacy standards to protect personal information.

Claim: Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access to your bank accounts for electronic funds transfer, no choice

Response: FALSE.

Again, this proposed section would set standards for electronic health records – and it sets privacy standards to protect personal information.

Claim: Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an HC EXCHANGE to bring private HC plans under Govt control.

Response: FALSE.

A Health Care Exchange is being proposed to make it easier for individuals and small businesses to have access to a number of qualified health insurance plans. The Exchange would contract with plans that meet benefit standards in the same way that the federal government’s Office of Personnel Management contracts with the health insurance providers offered to members of Congress and federal employees. Similarly, the Exchanges will provide central place where people eligible for affordability credits can shop for coverage.

Claim: PG 84 Sec 203 HC bill - Govt mandates ALL benefit pkgs for private HC plans in the Exchange

Response: TRUE.

The bill would set broad levels of benefit packages that private plans should offer in the Exchange. The broad categories of benefits specified in the law are like those for federal employees, and there are three different levels of generosity so that people can choose the plan that meets their needs. While the law sets certain aspects of the benefit packages, insurers are allowed to vary within the rules, much as they can under Medicare’s contracts with health plans for Medicare Advantage and for the Medicare prescription drug program. This has successfully spurred competition among providers that benefits consumers.

Claim: PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs. for of Benefit Levels for Plans

Response: TRUE – see response above.

This section defines three broad levels of generosity of benefit packages. As noted above, there is room within these broad levels for private plans to vary the packages.

Claim: Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan

Response: PARTLY TRUE.

This section of the proposed legislation talks in very broad terms about conducting outreach activities to inform people about the important health insurance benefits that they may be eligible for and help them to sign up. But the section does not identify any specific organizations.

Experience shows that, when any new program is launched, outreach is essential to let people know about it and manage the required paperwork. For example, when the Medicare prescription drug benefit began, the government worked with a wide range of community groups, religious institutions and other organizations to get the word out.

Claim: pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue Government on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Government Monopoly

Response: TRUE BUT…

Providers that choose to participate in the proposed Exchange would not be able to seek administrative or judicial review of the payment rates or methodologies established under the plan. This is consistent with long-standing practices in Medicare and in private insurance generally.

Claim: pg 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill -DOCTORS/ AMA - The Govt will tell you what your salary will be.

Response: FALSE.

The government would not employ physicians in the Exchange, so it would not set salaries. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would set the amount it will pay for different services that doctors who participate in the public plan provide. This is the same way the Medicare and private insurance plans now operate.

Claim: Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employers MUST auto enroll employees into public option plan. NO CHOICE

Response: FALSE.

In fact, this section does not even deal with a public option plan. This section seeks to encourage automatic enrollment of workers in employer-sponsored health insurance plans. But the provision makes it clear that the employer must provide the worker with a 30-day period to choose whether to enroll or not enroll.

Claim: Pg 146 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay for HC for part time employees AND their families.

Response: PARTLY TRUE.

This section states that employers must make some minimum contribution towards premiums for employees who work less than full-time. This minimum contribution will be a share of the contribution the employer makes for full-time employees, based on the average number of hours worked weekly compared to full-time status.

Claim: Pg 150 Lines 16-24 ANY Employer with payroll 400k & above, who does not provide public option, pays 8% tax on all payroll

Response: PARTLY TRUE.

This proposed section does not refer to the public option plan. It states that employers with an annual payroll of $400,000 or more who choose not to offer any coverage to their employees will pay an 8% payroll tax. And amendments have been proposed to raise this threshold to $750,000.

Claim: pg 150 Lines 9-13 Businesses with payroll btw 251k & 400k who doesn't provide public option pays 2-6% tax on all payroll

Response: TRUE.

Employers with annual payrolls between $251,000 and $400,000 that don’t offer health coverage and don’t make a contribution to the premium of their employees will have to pay a payroll tax of 2 to 6%, to help the government pay for health coverage. The amount of the tax rises as the total payroll rises.

Claim: Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesn't have acceptable HC according to the Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income

Response: PARTLY TRUE.

The goal of the bill is to encourage people to have health insurance coverage so they have the security of having affordable access to health care if they get injured or sick. To give people an incentive to get coverage, those without coverage will have to pay a tax equal to 2.5% of the amount that their income exceeds an income threshold. The threshold is the amount of income at which a taxpayer is required to file a tax return. This income threshold varies by filing status and age, and is adjusted each year for inflation. So people whose incomes are below the filing threshold will not pay the tax, and the tax will not apply to certain individuals exempt because of religious beliefs, living abroad, or in the case of hardship (to be defined in regulation),

To help make coverage more available and affordable than it is today, the bill would change rules so that private insurers can’t turn away applicants or make sick people pay much more. It also provides subsidies to make coverage more affordable to those with modest incomes. And, it expands eligibility for Medicaid to more people with low incomes.

Claim: Pg 195 HC Bill -officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access to ALL Americans finances/ personal records

Response: FALSE.

This section would not give the Health Choices Commissioner access to financial records of all Americans. This section would authorize the IRS, upon written request, to disclose to the Commissioner limited information necessary to determine if those applying for subsidies should qualify. It strictly limits the type of information that IRS would share and limits the ways the information can be used – and any unauthorized disclosure of the information would be a felony.

Claim: Pg 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill- Govt WILL REDUCE PHYSICIAN SERVICES for Medicaid Seniors, and low income people.

Response: FALSE.

This section of the bill would reform the system Medicare uses to set rates for service payments to physicians. This section has nothing at all to do with seniors on Medicaid or with other low-income people.

Claim: Pg 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill - Doctors, doesn't matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same

Response: TRUE BUT…

This provision simply clarifies that all physicians who participate in the Medicare program will continue to be paid the same amount, regardless of their specialty, for providing a specific service. That’s the way Medicare now works, and it would stay the same. For example, if you get an EKG from your primary care doctor, she gets paid the same amount as a cardiologist would get for doing the same EKG. Similarly, if a general surgeon operates on your broken wrist, he receives the same payment from Medicare as an orthopedic surgeon would get for doing the same operation.

The next set of claims all concern end-of-life counseling:

PG 425 Lines 4-12 Govt mandates Advance Care Planning Consultations. (seniors)

Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of atty. Mandatory!

Pg 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Govt provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death

Pg 427 Lines 15-24 Govt mandates program for orders for end of life. The Govt has a say in how your life ends

Pg 429 Lines 1-9 An "adv. care planning consult" will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates

PG 429 Lines 10-12 "adv. care consultation" may include an ORDER FOR END OFLIFE plans. AN "ORDER" from GOV

Pg 429 Lines 13-25 - The govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.

PG 430 Lines 11-15 The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life.

Response: ALL FALSE.

The bill would not require people to make end of life decisions or take any specific action, and suggesting otherwise is a misleading and cruel scare tactic. In fact, this bill would provide a new optional benefit to help individuals talk with their doctors in advance about difficult choices every family faces when loved ones near the end of their lives. This bill helps prepare for their care needs before they are in a crisis and ensure that their wishes —whatever those are—are respected.

This measure would allow Medicare to pay doctors for taking the time to talk with individuals about difficult end-of-life care decisions. Such consultations are not currently covered by Medicare. It would help provide people with better information on the positives and negatives—both physical and financial—that different treatments can mean for them and their families.

Facing a terminal disease or debilitating accident, some people will choose to take every possible life-saving measure in the hopes that treatment will allow them more time with their families. Others will decide that additional treatment would impose too great a burden—emotional, physical and otherwise—on themselves and their families, declining extraordinary measures and instead choosing care to manage their discomfort. Either way, it should be their choice.

This measure would not only help people make the best decisions for themselves, but also better ensure that their wishes are followed.

Added: August 13, 2009
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