AARP Endorses Affordable Health Care for America Act
- Improves Benefits for People on Medicare
- Makes Coverage More Affordable for Americans Age 50-64
BOSTON, MA, November 5, 2009—Today AARP announced its endorsement of the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) and the accompanying Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act (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 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.
“Our goals have always been to make health coverage more affordable for our younger members, those aged 50 to 64, and to protect Medicare for seniors,” says Deborah Banda, AARP Massachusetts state director. “Having reviewed the Affordable Health Care for America Act, we believe it meets these goals by improving benefits for people in Medicare – including closing the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap, the dreaded “doughnut hole” – and making health insurance market reforms to help ensure affordable health coverage for every American.”
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 members have made their voices heard in the health care debate, and they will continue to do so,” says Banda.
Patricia Liberti, 59, of Salem has attended town hall meetings about health reform, and has shared her personal struggles with the high cost of health care. She believes Congress must close the Medicare Part D doughnut hole. Liberti says, “I have coronary-artery disease and had to go on disability about 10 years ago. As a result, I am on Medicare and have hit the doughnut hole repeatedly. Each time, I dip into my retirement savings to pay for my medicine – which costs about $1000 a quarter. Sooner or later, there won’t be any savings left.”
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 Medicare 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;
-- Stopping insurance companies from denying you affordable coverage because of your age;
-- Preventing insurance companies from denying you coverage if you have a pre-existing condition or dropping your coverage if you get sick;
-- 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 by establishing the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program.
“AARP is proud to endorse the Affordable Health Care for America Act and the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act. We urge members of the House to pass this critical package in the coming days to help fix our broken health care system,” Banda concludes.
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