From our Health Care Action Now campaign, where you can find more info.

Myth: Health care reform will hurt Medicare.

Fact: None of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services.

Fact: Health care reform will lower prescription drug costs for people in the Medicare Part D coverage gap or "doughnut hole" so they can get better afford the drugs they need.

Fact: Health care reform will protect seniors' access to their doctors and reduce the cost of preventive services so patients stay healthier.

Fact: Health care reform will reduce costly, preventable hospital readmissions, saving patients and Medicare money.

Fact: Rather than weaken Medicare, health care reform will strengthen the financial status of the Medicare program.

Bottom Line: For people in Medicare, health care reform is about lowering prescription drug costs for people in the "doughnut hole", keeping the doctor of your choice, improving the quality of care, and eliminating billions in waste that is causing poor care and medical errors.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) recently authored an article in National Review Online on the current health reform debate in Washington in which he argues:

“One particular provision in the Democratic bill has seniors worried, and rightly so. A new 'Center for Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation' could ration access to medicines and treatments based on the government's assessment of the value of a human life and the 'cost-effectiveness' of treatment.”

The charge is false but this kind of thinking has nevertheless resulted in some irresponsible commentators going so far as to suggest the House bill will result in government sponsored euthanasia.

It's time to debunk this myth.

Sen. Brownback is talking about "comparative effectiveness research." Comparative effectiveness research is simply a wonky term that means the ability to compare different kinds of treatments to find out which one works best for which patient. It is a way of improving the quality of our health system. Such research requires standards and funding. AARP supports comparative effectiveness research provisions in the health reform bills in Congress

Comparative effectiveness research would not limit doctors and hospitals from providing the best possible care to their patients. In fact, this research would do the opposite--giving doctors the best information available to make health care decisions with their patients. This research is designed to also empower patients--giving them more and better information so they can make better decisions with their doctors.

The bottom line is that AARP will not support any legislation that gets between patients and their doctors. Period.

While our country spends more than $2 trillion a year on health care, we spend less than 0.1 percent on evaluating how that care works compared to other options. AARP believes spending more money on research will improve our health delivery models.

What makes the "rationed care" charge so risible is that opponents of the comparative effectiveness provision used the exact same argument against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act last February. "One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and 'guide' your doctor's decisions," critic Betsy McCaughey wrote at the time. Given Ms. McCaughey's position as a Director of a medical device maker - an industry that stands to lose billions of dollars in sales of equipment that might be determined as ineffective - we would hope there is no conflict of interest in her outspoken criticism.

It should be noted that the stimulus act hasn't denied treatment to anyone. But that hasn't stopped critics from dusting off the old fear mongering playbook.

Health care is too important for this kind of partisan rhetoric. Let's have a conversation about the issues. Let's talk about what works and what doesn't. But please, let's not make up scare tactics to frighten people from the facts.

Despite a sagging economy and a challenging budget deficit, Gov. Jim Doyle proved he is committed to helping Wisconsinites gain access to affordable health care, prescription medications, housing and transportation, which is critical to their overall economic security, AARP Wisconsin State Director D’Anna Bowman said Monday in reaction to Governor Doyle’s signing of the 2009-2011 budget into law.

• Less than half of the customers screened since launching the tour have been AARP members.
• 27.7% report that they currently do not have health insurance.
• More than 35% of participants screened have recorded high cholesterol levels.
• More than a third of all participants screened have recorded a high body mass index.
• Between 04/13 and 06/02, there have been 305stops serving 31,196 clients.

This week our AARP Health Action now van tour made stops in La Crosse, Hudson, and Prairie Du Chien. We are talking with our members about what they would like to see in a Health Care Plan and collecting their personal stories about how the health system is working for them.

We get a variety of viewpoints, our members are diverse and we want to hear what they have to say. Here is a story I would like to share with each of you. We will try to share more as our 24 city van tour continues with stops this next week in Beloit and Baraboo.

If you would like to submit your story please send an email to aarpwi@aarp.org

Maureen's Story -

In 2003 I got on a high-risk insurance program through the State of Wisconsin as no private company would accept me. Unfortunately I did get breast cancer and my insurance rates kept rising. I had a $2000 deductible. In 2006 I fell off of a horse and that was $1700. My income was going down, ironically because I collect insurance and many companies were raising their insruance costs and deductibles. In January of 2007 I felt I could no longer afford the insurance and also pay everything out of pocket so i dropped it. In March 2007 I suffered a stroke (really bad luck) which ultimately cost about $40,000. I paid my bill with my IRA...My not having health insurance has created a cycle which I'll never get out of. I put myself through school and have worked hard for 45 years hoping someday to retire and enjoy life...

We are tweeting from the road #aarpvan @aarpwi if you'd like to follow along.

WASHINGTON—This morning, AARP CEO A. Barry Rand delivered the following remarks at the White House announcement of a new agreement to substantially fill the Medicare Part D coverage gap:

“Thank you Mr. President.  AARP is proud to stand with you and Chairman Baucus and Senator Dodd to announce that the gap in Medicare’s drug coverage, known as the ‘doughnut hole,’ will be substantially filled for millions of middle income Americans as part of health reform.

“I want to applaud Chairman Baucus and Senator Dodd, who continue to be champions for this issue and have always fought for people struggling to make ends meet.  We are honored to stand with you today.

“Senator Baucus, your strong leadership of the Senate Finance Committee coupled with your creativity is what led to the development of this unique solution.  We also support your Finance Committee’s process and look forward with optimism to its next steps.

“Bottom line: without you, Chairman Baucus, we certainly would not be here today.

“When the President issued his clarion call for all parties to come together and address the issues of health care reform, AARP, representing over 40 million members, was proud to be one of the first to step forward.

“Today’s announcement will mean that struggling Americans who have been looking for help in their pocketbooks just to stay healthy, and who say that one of their single largest drivers of health care costs is prescription drugs—Americans in Medicare’s ‘doughnut hole’—will have their brand-name drug costs cut in half.  That’s a 50 percent reduction in drug costs.

“Too many Americans who fall into the coverage gap stop taking their medications because they simply cannot afford them.  They will now have a new opportunity to lead a healthier life.

“Mr. President, every American who is burdened by the high cost of health care or has inadequate access to our health care system—every business that is fighting to be competitive and save American jobs knows that health care reform cannot wait.

“This is an early win for reform and a major step forward.  It is a signal the process is working and will work.  But AARP is not done.  We will continue to work with you, Mr. President, and the House and the Senate to protect the people who rely on Medicare, to further lower drug costs, and to have guaranteed access to coverage for all Americans.

“Together, we will complete the mission for comprehensive health care reform.  Thank you for your leadership on this issue, Mr. President.”

For details on AARP’s health reform priorities, visit http://www.aarp.org/governmentwatch.

This summer AARP Wisconsin will be on a twenty four city van tour to hear what our members are looking for in a Health Reform Plan. Congress has set an ambitious timline to get things done. The time for Action is now! Listen to Lisa Lamkins our AARP Wisconsin Advocacy Director as she talks about what we have heard from some of our members on the costs, options, and issues related to Health Reform in this half hour radio interview.

http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/misc/aarp_2009_health_care_reform_program.mp3

How is the health system working for you? Are you worried about finding or keeping coverage? Is your current health coverage affordable? Do you struggle to pay for prescription drugs? What has your experience been? We want to hear from you! Visit www.healthactionnow.org and share your story.

To see a great video - with a little bit of humor and a catchy tune check out this video on YouTube. It says it all!

http://www.linkedtube.com/Xp_BwueYikUadfc9d1067fa6dd38dcc367a518b0acb.htm

Hi All - need your help for a national morning show segment...we are looking for people 50+ who are willing to share their stories of how they have connected in unique ways online, changed their outlook on life or met new people through use of social networking. From AARP.org, to Facebook and MySpace or Twitter, we are looking for our member’s great stories. Do you know someone connecting with relatives abroad, who found a long lost love, found a new love, or made a unique intergenerational connection through social networking?

As we are on deadline, we’d love to hear your stories by early next week. Please tell us about the experiences and send your age and hometowns of those involved.