Nov. 7, 2009                                             

CONTACT:

Sara Wurfel , 503-706-4634 or swurfel@aarp.org

Nov. 5, 2009

 

What's Good About Health Care Reform for Seniors?  A new series of videos addresses how health care reform would safeguard Medicare

• Video One: Seniors to Seniors. Physicians, retirees, and leading health care advocates discuss how health reform will strengthen Medicare by addressing prescription drug coverage, out-of-pocket expenses, and long term care choices.
• Video Two: Health Reform Urgent. Retirees argue that health reform is beyond urgent. Maintaining the status quo means exorbitant costs for seniors and physician pay cuts that jeopardize seniors’ care.
• Video Three: Improve Medicare. A registered nurse, geriatrician, and others discuss how health reform will help seniors struggling with high costs of prescription drugs, improve the quality of care, emphasize prevention, and lower costs.
• Video Four: Improve Long-Term Care Choices. A retired teacher, family caregiver, and AARP's President discuss the need for better long-term care choices. Today, one year of care can cost as much as four years of college. 
• Video Five: Keep Your Doctor in Medicare. Physicians explain why Medicare, without health care reform, will require physicians to take considerable pay cuts, potentially forcing doctors to refuse Medicare patients or close their practices.
• Video Six: Keep Medicare Strong Now and for Future Generations. Organization leaders, including AARP’s President, explain how reform measures—such as increasing use of electronic medical records—will lower costs and preserve Medicare for the future.

• Preserving current Medicare benefits and improving coverage for benefits with a package of improved services, such as coordinated care, safeguards against medical errors, and lower costs for preventive care
• Lowering drug prices by closing the coverage gap, or "doughnut hole"  
• Ensuring seniors can see the doctor of their choice 
• Making long-term care more affordable and relieving family caregivers' burdens by providing new choices to get care at home and in the community
• Providing protections to ensure that the spouses of patients who need Medicaid home-and community-based services for long-term care will not be forced to spend down into poverty
•  Improving quality and coordination for the treatment and management of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and high blood pressure
• Helping older Americans who are in greatest need to pay rapidly rising Medicare premiums and other health expenses
• Strengthening Medicare for the future by adding extra years to its solvency

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Oct. 29, 2009

Oct. 27, 2009

Oct. 21, 2009

Oct. 16, 2009

CONTACTS:

AARP National:David Allen or Jordan McNerney, 202-434-2560

AARP Oregon : Sara Wurfel , 503-513-7367

AMA: Brenda Craine, 202-789-7447

AARP and the American Medical Association (AMA) have sent a letter to the Senate, urging Senators to pass S. 1776, the Medicare Physician Fairness Act, which lays the foundation for a new payment system to help ensure seniors' access to and choice of physicians. If left unchecked, physicians face an unprecedented 21.5 percent cut in Medicare payment rates in 2010, with additional cuts in future years. These cuts will hurt older Americans who rely on Medicare and baby boomers who soon will. 

Uncertainty about whether Congress will prevent the cuts has contributed to the decision of some physicians to stop taking Medicare patients, making finding a doctor increasingly difficult for millions of seniors in Medicare.

The letter points to joint polling conducted by the AMA and AARP, which found that “two-thirds of people over 50 years old are either very or somewhat concerned that the current health care system limits their ability to see the doctor of their choice.”  It continues, saying “The continuing threat of steep Medicare payment cuts jeopardizes seniors’ access to care and physicians’ confidence in the government’s commitment to funding a strong and reliable Medicare program.”  With the first wave of baby boomers reaching Medicare age in just two years, the time to act is now.

The letter also notes that Congress has passed legislation to override the flawed formula seven times in the last seven years, saying that “the past practice of ‘temporary band-aids’ … has only served to increase both the size of future cuts and the cost of subsequent interventions.”  The Medicare Physician Fairness Act would permanently replace the current flawed formula with a payment system that ensures doctors are paid fairly so they’ll not only continue to treat existing Medicare patients, but also accept new patients.

In closing, the letter urges the Senate, on behalf of older Americans and the physicians who care for them, to pass this important legislation.

Oct. 15, 2009

 

Oct. 15, 2009

CONTACTS:
AARP National: 202-434-2560 or media@aarp.org

AARP Oregon: 503-513-7367 or swurfel@aarp.org

AARP urges swift Congressional action to provide $250 in relief for older Americans in 2010
Millions on Social Security to receive no increase for first time since 1975

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 .

Oct. 14, 2009

Attorney General John Kroger is warning Oregonians about con-artists, posing as U.S. Census workers. Conducted every ten years, the U.S. Census is an important process that helps to both define legislative districts, and determine how to allocate $300 billion to local, state and tribal governments each year.

For every person living at an address the U.S., the U.S. Census will ask for a name, age, gender, race, ethnic origin, birth date, marital status, employment status, and other similar information. Con-artists posing as Census employees ask for donations, personal financial information, and/or Social Security numbers. Here are some tips to tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and con-artists:

1. U.S. Census Bureau will not contact you by E-mail.
2. U.S. Census workers will not ask you about past debt, solicit money, or in any way harass you about finances.
3. U.S. Census workers will not ask for you Social Security Number, banking information, or credit card number.
4. U.S. Census workers will have identification; a copy of the notification letter you received, or should have received, in the mail describing the survey; and, depending on the area, a laptop and laptop case bearing the insignia of the U.S. Census Bureau.

If you are unsure whether or not you are the target of a Census-related scam, please call the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline at 1-877-877-9392. 

Or read this AARP Bulletin article for more information on how to tell the difference between a census faker or an official taker.