FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

11/07/09

CONTACT

Jane Margesson

609-571-0526 or jmargesson@aarp.org

AARP NEW JERSEY KEY VOTE NEWS ALERT

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.

** 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 Sy Larson, AARP New Jersey State President.  “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 111^th 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,” Larson 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 .

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Important brochures on Rx Registry and Identity theft in both English and in Spanish:

http://assets-d.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/identity_theft_english_2009.pdf> use: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/identity_theft_english_2009.pdf

identity_theft_spanish_2009.pdf <

http://assets-d.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/identity_theft_spanish_2009.pdf> use: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/identity_theft_spanish_2009.pdf

rx_registry_english_2009.pdf <

http://assets-d.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/rx_registry_english_2009.pdf> use: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/rx_registry_english_2009.pdf

rx_registry_spanish_2009.pdf <

http://assets-d.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/rx_registry_spanish_2009.pdf> use: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/rx_registry_spanish_2009.pdf

Keep Your Family and NJ’s Waterways Safe – Participate in “Grandma’s Stash” on November 14th

You can safely remove unused, unwanted and expired medications from your medicine cabinet with the help of Operation Medicine Cabinet's “Grandma’s Stash” campaign.   The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and 250 local New Jersey Police Departments will conduct a statewide day of prescription drug disposal, on November 14th.  New Jersey Police Departments will ensure that medications are destroyed in a way that does not contaminate New Jersey waterways.  For more information, please visit www.operationmedicinecabinetnj.com.  Local collection sites and contact information will be updated daily as new communities become part of this initiative.

 

Do you know where the gubernatorial candidates stand? Now you can read their answers to questions from AARP before you vote on Tuesday, November 3rd.

Just click on or cute and paste the following link to view our voter guide:

http://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp_media_library/states/new_jersey/Gubernatorial_Voter_Guide_2009/64144.pdf

www.createthegood.org

www.iparticipate.org

Recently, AARP’s Create the Good announced it is collaborating with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) in encouraging all Americans to dedicate time to service – whether they have five minutes, five hours or five days. Working with EIF allows Create the Good to connect potential volunteers with ways to serve that work for them. People of all ages need to know that their communities need them, even if their time is limited.

Create the Good, an idea first developed by AARP that has now significantly expanded, is powered by AARP and more than nine million 50+ volunteers, donors and activists. The point of Create the Good, a phrase first coined by AARP’s founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, is that each of us has something to give that can help others. AARP was built on the foundation of volunteerism and Create the Good is a means for good people to get connected to opportunities to create good in their community.

Beginning the week of October 19th, the EIF will mobilize the entire entertainment community in an initiative designed to inspire a new era of service. Hollywood’s leading charity has enlisted the four major broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC to participate in this project called “I Participate.” Through I Participate (iparticipateusa.org), EIF hopes to make service a part of who we are as Americans and to show what we can achieve when we all pull together. AARP’s Create the Good’s role in I Participate is to help activate 50+ volunteers in communities across the country.

EIF will produce a series of celebrity-driven public service announcements that will reinforce the importance of volunteerism and promote the week. Through these PSAs, EIF will recognize and encourage support for five key areas of service: Education & Children, Health & Well Being, Economic Development, Environmental Conservation, and Support for Military Families. Jesse Dylan, the creative force behind Bono’s “Red” and “One” campaign, and will.i.am’s iconic “Yes, We Can” video, will be creating, directing and producing the PSAs.

In addition, the networks have agreed to infuse their television programs with themes about volunteerism and community service. More than 45 of TV’s most popular shows will be part of this unprecedented week of network programming.

The number of Americans who volunteer regularly has not increased in 40 years. Service experts and community leaders agree: we are at a critical moment when real change is needed. Now EIF and partnering organizations are asking the country to get involved and hopes to generate a new era of volunteerism.

The Create the Good website (CreatetheGood.org) offers ideas for self-directed activities and How To videos for simple service projects people can organize on their own. The site also allows people to submit ideas and email the site to their friends or post it to their social networks.

The holidays are fast approaching and many charities and organizations will be expanding their activities to help those in need. There’s never been a better time to give back and create the good.