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AARP’s Impact: Milestones Through the Years
We fight for people 50-plus on Social Security, Medicare and more
Ryan Olbrysh; Ethel Andrus; Primary Illustration: Tomasz Usyk; Clockwise from Top: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images; AARP (6); Shutterstock; AARP; Gabriel Olsen/Getty Images; Earl Gibson III/Stringer via Getty Images
Since AARP was founded in 1958, our organization has worked with every president, Congress, governor and statehouse to improve the lives of older adults. Below are some milestones:
Older Americans Act
1965: AARP was instrumental in the creation and passage of the Older Americans Act with President Lyndon Johnson. The law provides comprehensive services for older adults.
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2000: AARP persuaded Congress to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, including new provisions such as the National Family Caregiver Support Program, helping millions with proper nourishment, protection against abuse, employment training and other services.
The Voorhes
Social Security, retirement and economic security
1972: The Social Security Amendments Act, with AARP’s strong backing, enacted automatic annual cost-of-living increases for Social Security beneficiaries.
1974: President Gerald Ford, with AARP’s support, signed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) into law, revising the legal framework for protecting qualified pension plans.
1984: President Ronald Reagan signed the AARP-backed Retirement Equity Act, requiring automatic survivor benefits and the need for spousal consent and allowing pensions to be divided upon divorce or legal separation.
1986: AARP helped pass legislation requiring employers to include new hires age 60-plus in a pension plan and to continue pension contributions and accruals for people working beyond age 65.
2002: AARP’s advocacy helped repeal the Social Security earnings limit for beneficiaries ages 65 to 69.
2005: AARP’s advocacy helped defeat proposals to carve private accounts out of Social Security.
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Medicare, improving health care for older adults and lowering prescription drug costs
1965: AARP was key in the creation of Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older and for those with permanent disabilities.
1987: AARP helped pass the Federal Nursing Home Reform Act, setting the first national standards for nursing home care.
President George H.W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act at the White House July 26, 1990.
Barry Thumma/AP Photo
1990: With AARP’s support, the Americans with Disabilities Act became law, banning employment discrimination against people with disabilities.
1993: The Family and Medical Leave Act was signed into law with support from AARP.
2003: The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act created a prescription drug benefit in Medicare, effective in 2006, with AARP’s support.
2008: AARP advocated for the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act to help older people get better access to physicians and affordable health care.
2010: AARP supported the Affordable Care Act, which did away with preexisting condition exclusions and limited how much insurers could charge older Americans for health insurance, among other changes.
2022: AARP supported legislation to lower prescription drug costs, allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prices on the highest-cost drugs and setting limits on out-of-pocket costs and the price of insulin in Medicare drug plans.
Fighting age discrimination and supporting older workers
1967: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) became law with AARP’s backing, prohibiting age-based discrimination against people 40 to 65.
1968: AARP sponsored the U.S. Department of Labor’s Community Aides Project (now the Senior Community Service Employment Program), providing job training and work experience for low-income people 55 and older.
1986: AARP helped extend protections of the ADEA to workers 70 and older.
1990: AARP championed the Older Workers’ Benefit Protection Act, which protects workers’ benefits under the ADEA.
Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus (right), founder of AARP, and Federal Trade Commission chairman Paul Rand Dixon at a 1963 special Senate Committee on Aging hearing.
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White House conferences on aging and presidential summits
1961: AARP was pivotal in the first White House Conference on Aging with President Dwight Eisenhower. The national forum works to ensure security for older people.
1971: At the second White House Conference on Aging with President Richard Nixon, AARP pushed to end mandatory retirement.
1981: AARP delegates introduced many of the 600 resolutions passed at the White House Conference on Aging with President Ronald Reagan.
1997: AARP played a key role in the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future to mobilize citizen power to solve common problems.
2015: AARP was a major participant in the White House Conference on Aging with President Barack Obama and a series of five regional forums.
Volunteers participating in a 1968 AARP Tax-Aide class.
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Fighting fraud and working to protect consumers
1968: AARP created AARP Tax-Aide to help older taxpayers file tax forms and claim eligible deductions.
1973: AARP sponsored a Crime and Safety Program to help older Americans avoid becoming victims of fraud.
1975: AARP launched the Legal Counsel for the Elderly, providing legal services for D.C. residents age 60-plus.
1994: AARP embarked on an education effort to warn older consumers about telemarketing fraud.
2002: AARP Foundation Litigation won a class-action suit against First Alliance Mortgage Co., one of the nation’s first predatory lending cases.
2003: AARP supported the creation of the “Do Not Call” registry, restricting telemarketing calls.
2013: AARP launched the Fraud Watch Network to help people spot, report and avoid scams and identity theft.
Voter engagement
1976: AARP encouraged its members to exercise their right to vote by distributing a “Getting Out the Vote” guide and registering thousands of voters.
AARP has continued voter engagement campaigns in every election cycle to ensure the voices and issues of older Americans are represented.
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