AARP Urges Budget Conference Committee to Keep Section 11 in House Committee Substitute of House Bill 1

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AARP Thanks President, Senate Leaders for Helping to Close the “Doughnut Hole”

 CEO Rand: Americans “will now have a new opportunity to lead a healthier life”

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

AARP Applauds House Health Care Reform Legislation

“This bill would get us closer to abolishing discriminatory insurance market practices that use a person’s age to block access to health coverage or keep prices too high to make a difference. 

“We applaud the leadership of the committees and their chairmen, and we look forward to working with them to pass a compressive health care reform package this year."

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

Shaheen-Collins Bill Will Keep Americans Healthier and Out of the Hospital

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

WASHINGTON—AARP has proudly endorsed the bipartisan “Medicare Transitional Care Act,” being introduced this week by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME). This critical legislation adds a follow-up care benefit to Medicare to ensure that people who leave the hospital get the care they need to stay healthy and avoid being readmitted. Such a benefit can help save some of the estimated $17 billion Medicare spends each year on preventable hospital readmissions.

“It’s unacceptable that 20 percent of people in Medicare who visit the hospital will return within a month, often because they aren’t getting the follow-up care they need,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond. “We’re sending home too many people with a handful of prescriptions and no support. Something as simple as help to set up a medication schedule could be the difference between getting healthy or winding up back in a hospital bed.”

AARP has urged lawmakers to ensure that comprehensive health care reform includes a Medicare follow-up care benefit to help people safely return to their homes after a hospital stay, coordinate their health care needs and prevent unnecessary hospital readmissions. The legislation being introduced this week by Sens. Shaheen and Collins marks an important step toward a stronger, higher quality health care system.

The “Medicare Transitional Care Act” would create a new Medicare benefit to coordinate care during a person’s transition from a hospital to their home or other care settings. With help from a team of nurses, doctors and other professionals, patients and their caregivers would receive critical follow-up care, like instructions for taking their medications, a medical professional to attend follow-up appointments with their doctors, referrals for care, and help to find the equipment and services they may need.

LeaMond added: “We’re proud to support this crucial bipartisan legislation, and we look forward to working with Senators Shaheen and Collins to enact this benefit as a part of comprehensive health care reform. We simply cannot afford to keep wasting our health care dollars on preventable readmissions. This bill is a win-win that should keep people healthier and save money.”

AARP has also endorsed a bipartisan House companion bill, H.R. 2773, sponsored by Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Charles Boustany (R-LA).

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

White House to Host Primetime Televised ‘Conversation’ On Health Care June 24

As the nation debates sweeping changes in healthcare, ABC News’ Charles Gibson and Diane Sawyer will moderate a conversation with President Obama about this critical issue on the nation’s agenda.  A special edition of Primetime “Questions for the President: Prescription for America” will air on Wednesday, June 24th from 10:00-11:00 PM ET on the ABC Television Network.

ABC’s Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer will moderate a nationally televised event called “Questions for the President: Prescription for America.”

The president will answer questions offered by audience members “selected by ABC News who have divergent opinions in this historic debate,” as well as some submitted via ABCNews.com, according to the press release announcing the event.

The special edition of “Primetime” will air from the White House on Wednesday, June 24, at 10 pm ET. “Good Morning America,” “World News,” “Nightline,” and ABCNews.com’s “Top Line” will all feature special programming on the president’s health care agenda.

From ABC News - “QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESIDENT: PRESCRIPTION FOR AMERICA”

(See More details at ABC News - http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/06/white-house-to-host-primetime-televised-conversation-june-24.html)

ABC News’ Charles Gibson and Diane Sawyer to Moderate a Primetime Conversation with President Barack Obama about the Future of the Nation’s Healthcare System

• Special Edition of “Primetime” to Air from the White House Wednesday, June 24th at 10pm ET
• “Questions for the President: Prescription for America” will continue on “Nightline” at 11:35pm ET on Wed. June 24th.
• ABC News Radio will air portions of “Questions for the President: Prescription for America” and will also produce a special edition of its weekly news magazine PERSPECTIVE, that will include portions of the special.  PERSPECTIVE will be available to ABC News Radio affiliates for use over the weekend of June 27-28.

Day One - General Assembly Special Session Begins in Capital

More Proposed Budget Cuts to Hurt Across Generations

Governor Beshear has convenend the states General Assembly to address he Consensus Forecasting Group's (CFG) official budget estimate shortfall of $996 million for Fiscal Year 2010.

Kentucky again faces another budget shortfall and many human services programs in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services are targeted for deeper cuts. 

Many of these programs, especially in the Department for Aging and Independent Living , are already under funded with long waiting lists. Even deeper cuts could put more people at risk, or worse, force them into nursing homes which cost state taxpayers even more.

In brief, Governor Beshear’s Budget Reduction Plan depends on more budget cuts and new federal federal stimulus dollars made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Click here to see the Governor's proposed plan.

Or, copy and paste this address in your web browser -  http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/elec/budgetbriefingcharts_1_.pdf

 The Governor prooses to:

• preserve education funding at 2009 levels;
• preserve funding for Medicaid and mental health;
• preserve funding for state police and local jails;
• increase funding for prosecutors and public defenders;
• maintain economic development funding;
• reduce spending elsewhere by 2.6 percent;
• eliminate some paid vacation for state employees.

AARP KY asks you to contact Governor Beshear and your state representatives leaving a message urging them:

 "To do the right thing by protecting human services funding for aging services and Home & Community Based Services from even more budget cuts." 

Take a few minutes today and call Governor Steve Beshear at: 502-564-2611
Contact the Governor online: http://governor.ky.gov/contact/contact.htm    

Take a few minutes more and call your state legislators toll-free on the Legislative Message Line:  1-800-372-7181 • TTY Messages 1-800-896-0305

Contact your state representatives online at: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/whoswho/email.htm

Find your state representatives and more budget details online at KY's General Assembly website: www.lrc.ky.gov

Click here to read more from AAARP KY's 2009 Regular Session General Assembly Wrap-up.

Or, copy and paste this address in to your browser: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/cs/elec/2009_ky_ga_final_report.pdf

AARP Endorses Bill to Help Older Americans Stay Healthy,
Out of the Hospital

Reps. Blumenauer and Boustany champion bipartisan follow-up care legislation

WASHINGTON—AARP enthusiastically endorsed the “Medicare Transitional Care Act,” sponsored by Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Charles Boustany (R-LA).  This critical legislation would help eliminate the thousands of preventable hospital readmissions that occur each year by providing coordinated follow-up care to people in Medicare through a team of caregivers.  Such a benefit can help save some of the estimated $17 billion Medicare spends each year on preventable hospital readmissions and significantly reduce the 20 percent of people in Medicare who are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of their first visit.

“We applaud Representatives Blumenauer and Boustany for sponsoring common sense legislation that will save money and keep people healthier and out of the hospital,” said AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond

AARP has urged lawmakers to ensure that comprehensive health care reform includes a Medicare follow-up care benefit to help people safely return to their homes after a hospital stay, coordinate their health care needs and prevent unnecessary hospital readmissions.  The legislation introduced today by Reps. Blumenauer and Boustany marks an important step toward a stronger, higher quality health care system.

The “Medicare Transitional Care Act” would create a new Medicare benefit to coordinate care during a person’s transition from a hospital to their home or other care settings.  With help from a team of nurses, doctors and other professionals, patients and their caregivers would receive critical follow-up care, like instructions for taking their medications, a medical professional to attend follow-up appointments with their doctors and help to find the equipment and services they may need.

“Too many people are leaving the hospital with a handful of prescriptions and little else,” LeaMond added.  “Our fractured health care system is leaving them and their caregivers without the direction they need to stay healthy.  It’s weighing on our health and driving up the cost of health care for all Americans.  That’s why we’re excited to have the leadership of Representatives Blumenauer and Boustany to finally make this a problem of the past.”

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

AARP/Walgreens Offering Free Health Screenings in

Louisville Metro region

The tour's goal is to deliver 2.5 million free health screenings focusing especially on underserved communities. Each of the specially equipped AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour buses will have at least one bilingual (Spanish/English-speaking) crew member on staff. Eight buses will travel across the continental U.S., logging a total of 400,000 miles.

Navigating Your Way Through Job Loss

AARP is offering a free online webinar in June to help you navigate and survive your job search.

Job loss is tough at any age, and even more so if you’re age 45 or older. If you’ve just lost your job, what should you do first? If you’ve been out of work for a while, how do you stay positive and move forward during the job-search journey? Now, this free AARP webinar can help you with:

· Creating an effective job-search strategy

· Managing your job hunt, finances, and health

· Connecting with others to get needed support

A checklist with tips and resources to help you succeed with your work search in today’s tough job market is offered at the end of the webinar. The checklist outlines steps for managing your finances and maintaining your health during your search and transition.

Who: Anyone age 45 or older. AARP membership is not required.

What: Free Webinar - Navigating Your Way Through Job Loss

When: Thursday, June 11, 2009, 2-3 p.m. EDT

Registration is required at www.aarp.org/jobloss (click on “Webinar”) to participate in the June 11th webinar. Internet access needed with audio capability (audio speakers). 
 

For more information or questions, please send an e-mail to survivejobloss@aarp.org

Other available AARP Job Loss Resources to assist job seekers include:

AARP KY Jobs: www.aarp.org/kyjobs
Real Relief: www.aarp.org/realrelief
AARP Work Channel: www.aarp.org/money/work
The Water Cooler – an online community for job seekers: www.aarp.org/thewatercooler  

AARP Analysis Debunks Biologic Drug Industry Myth