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AARP Policy Solutions Lead to Real-Life Change for Older Americans
The AARP Public Policy Institute has helped shape the lives of older Americans for 40 years
Ryan Olbrysh (Tim Clark/Alamy Stock Photo; Getty Images, 8)
Key takeaways
- The AARP Public Policy Institute was established in 1985.
- This association think tank focuses on research and policy related to financial security, caregiving, Social Security and health care.
- PPI created the Livability Index, a tool used to evaluate how well neighborhoods support people of all ages.
When AARP was making the case to Congress that allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices would lower prescription costs for older Americans, expert data was needed to back the arguments. So the AARP Public Policy Institute, a nationally respected think tank working inside the association, produced reports documenting how the rapid increase in prescription drug prices was harming people who were struggling to afford lifesaving medications. The work of PPI helped translate complex data into a clear and convincing story that swayed Congress and ultimately benefited millions of older Americans.
Established in 1985, PPI focuses on the research and development of policy related to financial security, caregiving, Social Security and health care. The work helps AARP advocate on these issues in Washington, D.C., and in statehouses across the country.
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“For 40 years, the AARP Public Policy Institute has helped turn analysis into action," says AARP Chief Public Policy Officer Debra Whitman. “PPI is more than a think tank—it is a think-and-do tank that brings together data, policy expertise and innovation to develop solutions that improve the lives of older Americans."
The data analysis done by PPI is aimed at the issues that have a direct impact on Americans 50 and older. And it is designed to be integrated into AARP’s advocacy work — including as part of lobbying efforts to move state and federal lawmakers to act in the interest of older people.
“We analyze data and policy so that AARP can speak with a strong voice about the needs of adults 50-plus. We look at how to solve problems as they relate to our members and people in need,” says Alan Weil, senior vice president of public policy at AARP, who leads PPI. “When AARP takes a position, it’s grounded in analysis of the needs of the population. We understand how policy is made and what it takes to make policy effective.”
Some issues PPI reports bring into focus
Financial security
About 56 million Americans lack access to employer-provided retirement benefits. This led a PPI expert to help shape the creation of state-sponsored automatic individual retirement account programs, which enroll employees in retirement savings plans if their workplace does not offer one. So far, 17 states have approved auto-IRA programs, with others in the process of implementation. PPI also produces state-by-state fact sheets that AARP’s advocates and volunteers use in meetings with Congress to defend Social Security from cuts.
And it aims to avert fraud through AARP BankSafe, a free online training program for employees of financial institutions that helps them detect and stop the financial exploitation of older adults. The program has prevented the loss of an estimated $560 million since its inception in 2019.
Health care
PPI examines health issues that matter most to older Americans. It has a series of reports called Rx Price Watch, which has tracked prescription drug price trends since 2004. The reports provide evidence that supports policies such as Medicare price negotiation and a new out-of-pocket spending cap for Medicare drug plans, which AARP advocated for and became part of a 2022 law. PPI has also addressed the concerns of family caregivers, researching the key role they play. A PPI study laid the groundwork for the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act, which established a bipartisan model now adopted by more than 40 states and the District of Columbia to better support caregivers when a loved one is discharged from the hospital.
Housing and livable communities
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PPI created the AARP Livability Index, a tool that millions of Americans have used to evaluate how well their neighborhoods support people of all ages. PPI also helped develop legislation to support accessory dwelling units — separate housing on the same lot as a main residence — which offer flexible options that enable aging in place. About 20 states have enacted laws to allow them.
PPI adapts with the times. Future research will focus on lowering utility costs, making homeowners insurance more affordable and monitoring artificial intelligence. “Before politicians start talking about something, we make sure AARP has the data to understand the needs of people 50-plus,” Weil says.
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