2009 Bluegrass Regional Boomer and Senior Games in Berea

New Poll Shows Concerns with Current Health Care System Remain High

AARP, AMA and ANA Jointly Release New Data

New polling released today (9/10/09) shows that Americans 50-plus remain concerned with the current health care system, underscoring the need for reform.

The executive summary of the polling is available at: http://www.aarp.org/research/surveys/care/health/hcreform/articles/hcr_concerns.html

Data released jointly today by AARP, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Nurses Association (ANA), show that about half of people over 50-years old are concerned that there won’t be enough nurses or doctors to provide care in the future, and two-thirds of those polled are either very or somewhat concerned that the current system limits their ability to see the doctor of their choice.

“The fact that we need to strengthen our health care system may have been lost in some of the media coverage over the last several weeks, but this survey of Americans shows that the need is as great as ever,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond.  “Tonight the President will address Congress, and while AARP hasn’t endorsed any of the bills, it is critical – especially based on this polling – that any solution ensures that people can see the health professional they want, when they want – particularly for people on Medicare.”

The polling found that nearly nine in ten people (87 percent) believed it was important for doctors to be reimbursed adequately so they continue to accept patients on Medicare.

"This summer we’ve heard a lot of misinformation about health reform proposals on the table. The poll we’re releasing today reminds us that people have serious concerns with the health system in place now: The status quo is unacceptable,” said AMA Immediate Past President Nancy H. Nielsen, M.D. “Currently, 46 million Americans don’t have health insurance, and the Medicare physician payment formula threatens seniors’ access to care by projecting steep cuts just as the baby boomers enter Medicare.  We need to cover the uninsured, implement insurance market reforms and repeal the flawed Medicare formula to ensure all Americans access to the care they need.”

The poll also revealed that most people believe there are not enough nurses to support the current health care system, and that the nurse shortage will remain a problem in the near future.

“Two-thirds of the poll respondents are sensing what we have recognized for the last decade – that we are experiencing a critical nursing shortage and that it will worsen as the rates of registered nurse retirements and aging Baby Boomers requiring health services each increase,” said ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR. “Health care reform must ensure that the RN workforce is sufficient to make universal access to quality care a reality, not just theory. We can catch up with growing demand through increased investments in nursing workforce development and educational programs.”

Also of note – more than three-fourths (78 percent) are worried that some day either they or someone they know might incur a health care cost that wouldn’t be covered by their health insurance.

The telephone survey was conducted from September 4-7, 2009 by Woelfel Research, Inc. The RDD sample consists of 1,001 United States residents at least 50 years old. The results from the study were weighted by age and gender.  The margin of sampling error is ±3.1%.

The executive summary of the polling is available at: http://www.aarp.org/research/surveys/care/health/hcreform/articles/hcr_concerns.html

More information available at www.HealthActionNow.org

About AARP

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 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.

About the American Medical Association

The American Medical Association (AMA) helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional, public health and advocacy issues in medicine. Working together, the AMA's quarter of a million physician and medical student members are playing an active role in shaping the future of medicine. For more information on the AMA’s health system reform efforts, please visit www.hsreform.org.

About American Nurses Association

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation's 2.9 million registered nurses through its 51 constituent member nurses associations and its 24 specialty nursing and workforce advocacy affiliate organizations that currently connect to ANA as affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

AARP Kentucky Pushing Congress on Health Care Reform

The AARP has a lot riding on health care reform, and the nation's largest senior organization has been spending much of the summer talking, listening and explaining details in the debate over how to change health care in America. AARP Kentucky is wrapping up town hall meetings and 11 days at the State Fair, where they've heard plenty regarding a major overhaul of the country's health care system.

Click here to listen to the story (or cut and paste this link in your browser -http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/10435-1)

Tihisha Rawlins, associate state director for grassroots for AARP Kentucky, says the group's primary goal in health care reform is to ensure that all Americans have affordable, quality choices.

"That means making sure that people between the ages 50 and 64 can have coverage, guaranteed access, because we find that people in this age group often have pre-existing medical conditions, and if they lose their jobs for whatever reason are locked out of the system."

Rawlins adds that AARP is confident the public wants a new way of coming to grips with the nation's health care needs that's efficient and effective and provides coverage for everyone. She says it's the top challenge for national lawmakers as they return to work this week.

She says one priority is preserving and protecting Medicare.

"We just don't see this hurting Medicare in any way. We actually see this helping Medicare and making it stronger, so that our children and grandchildren will have access to that system."

AARP says it wants to work with Congress to reach a bipartisan solution that will provide affordable, quality health care coverage for all Americans.

Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/10435-1

AARP Kentucky “Community Conversations” on Health Care Reform

 

AARP Listens to Members, Remains Committed to Ensuring Affordable Health Care Reforms

For over fifty years, AARP's mission has been educating and engaging in the issues most important to you, our members. With over 40 million members we understand the importance of debate. Even when some members don't agree with our advocacy positions, it is critical that we make sure those differences of opinion are based on facts, not myths designed to derail a long overdue effort to fix what's wrong in our health care system.

Doing nothing is not an option. But any reform must not get between a patient and their doctor. It must not cut Medicare benefits. It must not allow insurers to continue to line their pockets by covering only the healthiest and the youngest.

AARP is committed to making sure health care reform will do the following for our members:

Lower Drug Costs and Strengthen Medicare: Close the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole," ensure patients' access to their doctors, 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 pre-existing condition or using age to price Americans age 50-64 out of affordable, quality health insurance; and

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.

Since July 1st, when we started seeing a rise in phone calls and emails here at AARP as a result of the health care debate, we have lost approximately 50,000-60,000 members. While we are encouraged that almost 1.8 million people have either joined AARP or renewed their memberships over that same time span, we take the loss of any member seriously. ‪We don't want to see you, our members, leave for any reason, and understand that even when we all have the facts reasonable people may agree to disagree on the proposals being put forth by Congress.

AARP's strength has always been our members, and we're working hard to represent them as best we can. Each of our policy positions have been carefully considered and are set by our all-member volunteer board of directors based on input from our members.

We're also working to dispel several of the myths and lies that have warped the health care reform debate, targeting older Americans in particular with horror stories about euthanasia and rationed care. We believe that, at a time when a lot of the information about health reform surfacing on the Internet, cable news and talk radio simply isn't true, it's important that each of our members are armed with all the facts about this very important debate.

As we continue to fight on your behalf and work to fix our health care system, we are bound to have different opinions among our members. We respect each opinion and choice you make, and will do our best to represent the individuals who have, with their membership, shown that the collective voice of 40 million members working together have the power to make our health care system better - for themselves and for generations to come.

Go to www.healthactionnow.org for details, facts and real stories.

AARP Reacts to President’s Health Care Townhall

WASHINGTON – AARP Chief Operating Officer Tom Nelson issued this statement following remarks by the President at a townhall event in New Hampshire on health care reform.

“AARP has been working with Democrats and Republicans to fix our broken health care system.

“While the President was correct that AARP will not endorse a health care reform bill that would reduce Medicare benefits, indications that we have endorsed any of the major health care reform bills currently under consideration in Congress are inaccurate.

“AARP supports specific measures that would help older Americans and their families – including bipartisan proposals to create a new follow-up care benefit in Medicare that would help prevent hospital re-admissions, as well as to address the Medicare prescription drug coverage gap known as the ‘doughnut hole.’ We also support the need for lawmakers and the Administration to act this year to fix what doesn’t work in the health care system.

“We share the President’s commitment to act this year, and our members appreciate his insistence that any final reform package will not reduce Medicare benefits for the millions of people that literally depend on that program as a lifeline.

“We look forward to working with leaders of both parties, including the President, to build a final package we could endorse that addresses the concerns of the 50-plus population and brings quality, affordable health care choices to every American.”

For more information about AARP’s Health Action Now campaign, please visit www.healthactionnow.org.

AARP Debunks Health Care Myths

AARP takes on some of the common myths going around. Please join us in forwarding these facts to everyone you know. Print them out and pass them around at your social gatherings and other places where people are discussing the issues of the day. Help get the truth out about reform.

The truth is real reform is at risk because opponents are using scare tactics and slogans to gin up fear and misunderstandings. Don't let that happen.

Let's make sure everyone gets the truth. Forward the message below, share these myths and facts on Facebook if you have an account, or post them on other networking sites. If you're active on Twitter, please tweet the truth now.

FACT #1: Medicare will not be ended, and no benefits or services will be cut.

Your services will not be ended, nor will your benefits be cut. AARP's position on this could not be clearer. And we have sent this message loud and clear to Congress. While the current proposals include savings in Medicare by cutting out fraud, abuse, waste, and inefficiency, we're standing up and making sure benefits for Medicare recipients are not only fully protected, but are improved.

FACT #2: No legislation currently in Congress would mandate the rationing of care. Period.

Our staff has read all of the legislation circulating in Congress and there are no provisions in these bills that would ration care for our members. None. If any ever did, we would vigorously fight to stop that legislation.

FACT #3: There is no provision of any piece of legislation that would promote euthanasia of any kind.

The rumors out there are flat out lies. Right now Medicare does not cover counseling for end-of-life care. The portion of the bill in question would simply provide coverage for optional end-of-life consultations with doctors, so that the patient can be aware of all of the treatment options on the table. It is not mandatory and it has nothing to do with euthanasia.

FACT #4: We have not endorsed President Obama's plan.

In fact, we haven't endorsed any plan. We are supporting reform of our health care system, something that AARP has pushed for many years. We're working closely with Republican and Democratic members of Congress to lower health care costs and to ensure quality affordable coverage for older Americans - and we want reform legislation passed and signed by the president this year.

So what is AARP fighting for in health reform?

-Stopping insurance companies from charging older Americans unaffordable premiums because of their age.
-Ending the practice of excluding people from insurance because of pre-existing conditions.
-Holding down health costs and making insurance coverage more affordable for all Americans.
-Making prescription drugs more affordable by narrowing the Medicare doughnut hole, bringing generics to market faster, and allowing Medicare to negotiate better drug prices.

Find out more and take action at HealthActionNow.org.

Policy experts, business leaders and AARP’s National President-Elect discuss facts and myths of health care reform

LOUISVILLE – Rising health care costs combined with rising unemployment and loss of health benefits are leaving tens of thousands of Kentucky residents without access to affordable health care. A panel of health care providers, business leaders, AARP members and members of Congress’ staff came together seeking consensus around the nation’s health care crisis.

AARP Kentucky hosted this event as part of its work to seek comprehensive health care reform in Congress this year. The panel of experts included Dave Adkisson, President and CEO of Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, W. Lee Hammond, AARP National Board Member and President-Elect  and Dr. Adewale Troutman, Director of Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness. Dr. Susan Zepeda, Executive Director of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, moderated the event.

Some 150 local professionals, AARP members, community leaders and staff attended the event. According to AARP KY Associate State Director Tihisha Rawlins, “Doing nothing is not an answer, Americans want and need affordable health care now. Too many Americans don’t have access to affordable health care and millions more are just one hospital bill away from bankruptcy and financial ruin”. Lee Hammond joined in the discussion and noted, “Unfortunately, there are special interest groups trying to block health care reform by using myths and scare tactics. I urge everyone to find all the reliable facts possible and stay informed as the issue develops. AARP’s goal is to be that source”.

The health care debate is intense and often confusing. AARP is reaching out to educate its members and mobilizing citizens in support of comprehensive health care reform.  During Congress’ August recess, a series of community forums are planned across the state to address scare tactics used by special interest groups trying to block progress on health care reform. “Our forum today is one of many over the past two years that AARP has held to build a consensus for real health care reform.  We’re committed to improving the quality and affordability of health care for our 40 million members and their families. We’ll fight any measure preventing individuals and their doctors from making their own health care decisions,” said AARP KY State Director, Phil Peters.

Metro TV is a media sponsor and will rebroadcast the panel discussion on its online site http://www.louisvilleky.gov/metrotv and Insight Cable Channel-25 in Jefferson County.

Hear the stories, get the facts and be informed at: www.healthactionnow.org

Myths and Misinformation on Health Care Reform

Some special interest groups have been spreading misinformation to folks in the hopes of killing health care reform legislation; in short, they perpetuate myths and use scare tactics to make people think that reform is a bad idea. (For example, like the contention that health care reform would ration your care, hurt Medicare or be a government takeover.)

So when these myths are being made, we want to make sure we're here to give the correct information to dispel any fears about what health care reform can do for you. And we'll be debunking them every day this week on the blog!

Click here to read the Blog - http://blog.aarp.org/shaarpsession/

Myth 1: Health care reform is socialized medicine.

Fact: Health care reform will preserve the employer-based health care system, meaning an estimated 200 million Americans will continue to get their coverage through their employers.

Fact: For people buying coverage for themselves, there would be a range of private health plans to choose from. Also, the so-called "public plan" option would seek to give American consumers another choice if they can't find affordable, quality coverage in the private insurance market. The goal of the "public plan" is to give consumers the best value for their money and force greater competition among insurance plans for our business.

Fact: Every proposal that Congress is considering would allow people to choose their own doctors and hospitals.

Health care reform isn't about a government takeover. It's about guaranteeing all Americans a choice of health care plans they can afford.

Check in tomorrow for the next myth debunking!

By Alejandra Owens- AARP Staffer

AARP to Congress: Don’t Make Medicare More Expensive

Association fighting proposals that would unfairly burden people in Medicare

AARP CEO Barry Rand recently wrote to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, urging Congress to find ways to pay for comprehensive health care reforms beyond the Medicare savings already announced that will improve the program’s efficiency. In a letter to Chairman Waxman, Rand applauded the committee’s reported compromise agreement for “hold[ing] the line on additional Medicare savings.” Rand emphasized that AARP members would not support legislation that finances reform through higher out-of-pocket costs or reduced benefits for people in Medicare.

“AARP cannot support any efforts to target Medicare beneficiaries for increased cost-sharing or other benefit cuts,” Rand wrote. “In addition, we cannot support backdoor attempts to finance health care reform through increases in beneficiary costs or reductions in benefits, for example, through use of commissions or other process mechanisms.”

Rand noted that people in Medicare today already spend, on average, nearly 30 percent of their income on out-of-pocket health care costs, restating the Association’s fight against proposals that would unfairly burden people in Medicare.

Rand added: “We know you share the position, expressed by the President in his July 22 press conference—and reiterated this week in AARP’s own tele-town hall—that health reform will not result in less generous Medicare benefits.”

AARP has reassured its members that proposals it has reviewed so far to save money in Medicare will not raise their out-of-pocket costs or reduce access to care. AARP has urged Congress to find smart Medicare savings, such as reducing payments to private insurers in Medicare, lowering drug costs and preventing avoidable hospital readmissions.

In the letter, Rand applauded the Energy and Commerce Committee’s compromise agreement, which reportedly retains many of the key priorities of AARP’s members, including closing the Part D doughnut hole, strictly limiting age-rating and creating subsidies to help more Americans purchase their choice of coverage.

“We are pleased the House bill retains a stricter 2 to 1 limit on how much more insurers can charge older Americans for premiums,” Rand wrote. “In addition, we are pleased that the House Energy and Commerce bill still provides sliding-scale subsidies up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. These subsidies are essential to making certain our members can afford coverage and not pay an unfair percentage of their incomes for health care expenses.”

For more information about AARP’s Health Action Now campaign, please visit www.healthactionnow.org.