We Need Action on Health Care Now!

It may have been spring break for Colorado's school kids, but the recent congressional spring recess found your AARP Colorado volunteers visiting the offices of our Colorado congressional delegation to talk about health care reform and the urgent need for reform this year. Our health care system costs too much, wastes too much, makes too many mistakes and gives us back too little value for our money.

Rising health costs are not only burdening individuals and families—many of whom are facing layoffs, home foreclosures and declining retirement incomes—but they are also crippling businesses both large and small. Individuals, business leaders and state and federal elected officials all agree that the cost of doing nothing to fix health care is just too great.

That is why for the past two years, through our Divided We Fail campaign, we have raised the voices of more than 1.6 million Americans and nearly 100 politically diverse organizations in calling for bipartisan health care reform solutions and we are gratified to see Members of Congress from both parties coming together to tackle health care reform. Although we acknowledge there isn't consensus on the details, we are pleased there is agreement on the following three key health care reform goals: lowering the cost of health care for individuals and our nation; improving patient safety and the quality of care; and, providing affordable health care choices to all Americans.

AARP has identified steps Congress can take to achieve these goals and they include: lowering the cost of health care for people on Medicare by eliminating waste, fraud and abuse that is driving up health care costs, increasing medical errors and resulting in poor care; ensuring that Americans ages 50 to 64 have a choice of health care plans they can afford regardless of age, health or employment status; and, helping people get the services and supports they need to stay in their homes and out of costly institutions.