AARP believes the Obama administration and Congress must work together on a comprehensive health-reform plan that guarantees all Americans the choice of quality health care plans they can afford.

80 Million Eyes Watching Health Reform

AARP members are counting on their Members of Congress to support H.R. 3962.
After carefully extensively studying the various legislative proposals, AARP’s all-volunteer Board of Directors – made up of working and retired doctors, nurses, business people, and teachers – endorsed the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3961) because it delivers on key priorities AARP has been fighting for, including:

• 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 allow Medicare to negotiate 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 for those who don’t have coverage.
• Preventing insurers from denying affordable coverage to anyone because of their age or health.
• 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 or can’t afford it.
• Providing benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities.

To see our press announcement, click here.

80 Million Eyes Watching Health Reform

AARP Members Disappointed by Senate’s Vote to Block Protection of Access to Medicare Doctors:
AARP members were deeply disappointed that legislation to preserve seniors’ access to their doctors was blocked in the U.S. Senate. The Medicare Physicians Fairness Act (S. 1776) would have permanently repealed the system Medicare uses to pay doctors – a flawed system that if left in place will undermine seniors’ ability to get the care they need to stay healthy.

AARP members can see if their Senators voted to protect seniors’ access to choose their doctor and share their feedback by clicking here.

Fact Sheets On Health Care Reform:

• Improving Long-Term Care and Care for Chronic Conditions
• Improving and Strengthening Medicare
• Making Prescription Drugs More Affordable for All Americans
• Health Coverage for 50+ Americans

AARP Endorsed Health Care Legislation:

• Access to Life Saving Medicine Act
• Comparative Effectiveness Research Act
• Independence at Home Act 

Testimonies and Letters

House Testimony

• November 5, 2009: Letter on Affordable Health Care for America Act
• October 16, 2009: Joint AARP/AMA letter to Sen. Reid re S. 1776. (pdf)
• October 15,2 009: AARP Letter to Sen. Reid re HELP/SFC Merger (pdf)
• September 21, 2009: AARP Letter to Sen. Baucus re SFC Markup (pdf)
• July 30, 2009: Letter to House Energy & Commerce Committee chair Waxman on AARP priorities (pdf)
• July 23, 2009: Letter to Waxman, Barton "strongly" backs doughnut hole provisions in H.R. 3200 (pdf)
• May 19, 2009: AARP’s Six Key Objectives for Any Health Care Reform Package (pdf)
• May 19, 2009: Minority Leader McConnell (pdf)
• May 19, 2009: Speaker Pelosi (pdf)
• May 19, 2009: Minority Leader Boehner on AARP’s Six Key Objectives for Any Health Care Reform Package (pdf)
• May 5, 2009: Expanding Coverage in Health Care Reform Testimony 
• June 23, 2009: Increasing Nursing Training Funding, Energy & Commerce Committee
• June 24, 2009: Increasing Nursing Training Funding, Ways & Means Committee

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