AARP Montana Members Help Shape Health Care Reform Debate

From Glendive to Libby, AARP Montana members turned out in force to discuss the issue of national health care reform during a statewide series of 20 “listening sessions” with senior staff from the office of Sen. Max Baucus.

As health care reform moves to the front burner in Congress, AARP Montana members had an opportunity to weigh-in on the debate during listening sessions held across the state by the Office of U.S. Senator Max Baucus. In his role as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Montana’s Senior Senator Max Baucus is leading the effort to reform America’s broken health care system and has officially started the legislative process.

Max Baucus announced that his office was holding twenty sessions across Montana at the end of May to discuss health care reform.  This meant that AARP Montana members were in a unique position to weigh-in on the debate and receive the latest information from Senate Finance Committee staff on the status of pending health care reform legislation.

AARP Montana sent notifications to more than 40,000 member households in 158 communities urging them to turn out for the events and make their voices heard.  From Glendive to Libby, AARP Montana members filled community rooms to capacity to weigh in on national health care reform.

Input gathered by The Senator’s staff set the stage for the introduction of legislation aimed at lowering costs and improving quality.

The full senate is expected to debate the measure later this summer. Congress is expected to deliver a health care reform bill to President Barack Obama later this year.

“AARP Montana members were fortunate to have a ‘seat at the table’ with respect to this very important issue,” said Bob Bartholomew, AARP Montana State Director.  “This was the last chance to weigh-in on health care reform before the legislative debate begins on Capitol Hill. It was also a great opportunity for a two-way dialogue with the Senator and the staff of the Senate Finance Committee – those on the front lines making health care reform a reality.”

AARP’s six key objectives for health reform are:

1. Guaranteeing affordable coverage for Americans age 50-64;

2. Closing the Medicare Part D coverage gap or “doughnut hole”;

3. Preventing costly hospital readmissions by creating a Medicare follow up care benefit to help people transition home after a hospital stay;

4. Increasing federal funding and eligibility for home and community based services through Medicaid so older Americans can remain in their homes as they age and avoid more costly institutional care;

5. Creating access to generic versions of costly biologic drugs used to treat cancer and other serious illnesses; and

6. Improving programs that help low income Americans in Medicare afford the health care and prescription drugs they need.

“These listening sessions were a great chance to emphasize the importance of achieving AARP’s goals.  AARP Montana members filled those listening sessions and made the most of this unprecedented opportunity,” said Bartholomew.

To learn more about AARP’s priorities on health care reform visit www.healthactionnow.org.  To become a grassroots activist for this and other AARP issues, go to www.aarp.org/getinvolved.