How AARP Is Fighting to Make Health Care More Affordable

Lowering drug costs and improving coverage can help people stay healthy, avoid complications and maintain self-sufficiency longer.

Access to affordable coverage is equally important for people not yet eligible for Medicare. Adults ages 50 to 64 without health insurance are seven times more likely to postpone or go without needed care because of cost compared with those who have coverage, and people who experience gaps in their insurance have more hospitalizations and emergency room visits than those with continuously insured.

Protecting access to reliable, affordable health insurance is central to helping people age with dignity and stability.

AARP was founded to make health care affordable

AARP was founded in 1958, in a time before Medicare, with roots in the National Retired Teachers Association, which Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus began in 1947. She created these organizations to help prevent poverty among older adults and to expand access to health care after retirement.

In the early 1950s, Andrus contacted 42 insurance companies before finding one that would offer coverage to retired teachers. She later extended access to group health plans for a broader population through AARP and helped lay the groundwork for Medicare in 1965.

AARP also endorsed the Older Americans Act of 1965, a law that passed Congress with only one dissenting vote but is under fire today. The law pays for services that help adults 60 and older live safely at home and stay independent as long as possible, as well as programs for healthy living that many adults take for granted, including:

• Home health care for those who need assistance with bathing, dressing and light housework.
• Meals on Wheels home delivery and lunches at senior centers.
• Ombudsmen to protect residents living in long-term care centers.
• Programs to prevent abuse, exploitation and neglect of older adults.
• Rides to doctor appointments or community centers.
• Support services for family caregivers.

AARP’s advocacy history in health care

For decades AARP has pressed Congress and federal agencies to make health care more affordable for people 50 and older. The record below groups that work into three areas: the testimony we bring to Capitol Hill, the bills we back and the research we publish to inform the debate.

In May 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the pharmaceutical industry’s challenge to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which authorized Medicare to bargain with drug companies to lower prices on expensive and widely used medications. The AARP Foundation had filed more than a dozen friend-of-the-court briefs in federal courts as drug companies fought to halt the program.

Congressional testimony

June 2026, health care transparency. When the House Energy and Commerce Committee took up health care transparency, AARP made the case that older Americans deserve to know what care will cost before the bill arrives. Read AARP’s letter to the Energy and Commerce Committee on health care transparency.

July 2025, Medicare Advantage. AARP pressed the House Ways and Means Committee to rein in Medicare Advantage plans, calling out the excessive billing and hard-sell marketing that leave enrollees worse off. Read AARP’s statement to the Ways and Means Committee on Medicare Advantage.

September 2024, drug savings and ACA credits. For a Senate Finance Committee hearing on lowering health care costs, AARP showed how the new drug law was already saving older adults money and pushed Congress to extend the enhanced premium tax credits that make marketplace coverage affordable. Read AARP’s statement to the Senate Finance Committee on drug savings and ACA credits.

Legislation we have supported

June 2026, Medicare out-of-pocket costs. AARP threw its weight behind S. 4886, the Medicare Cost Cap Act — a measure that would limit what people with original Medicare pay out of pocket in a year. Read AARP’s support letter on the Medicare cost cap bill.

August 2026, Medicare hospital coverage. A hospital stay shouldn’t come with a hidden trapdoor. AARP endorsed the bipartisan Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act, S. 4641, which would count time spent under observation toward Medicare’s three-day requirement for skilled nursing coverage so patients aren’t blindsided by the bill. Read AARP’s endorsement of the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act.

June 2026, drug patents. Also in the summer, AARP backed S. 2658, the Medication Affordability and Patent Integrity Act, which takes aim at the patent games drugmakers play to keep prices high and cheaper competitors off the shelf. Read AARP’s support letter on the Medication Affordability and Patent Integrity Act.

September 2025, independence and aging services. AARP endorsed S. 2120 to renew the Older Americans Act — the law behind home-delivered meals, senior centers, rides to the doctor and other services that help people stay in their own homes. Read AARP’s endorsement letter on Older Americans Act reauthorization.

December 2025, fall prevention. A single fall can upend an older person’s life. AARP endorsed the FASTER Act, H.R. 5575, which would finance a pilot program letting local fire stations deliver home-based fall prevention and emergency help. Read AARP’s endorsement of the FASTER Act.

Policy research & publications

August 2026, drug prices. A nearly $200 billion prize sits on the table: That’s what Medicare could save over five years on 10 of its costliest brand-name drugs by paying the lowest price charged in comparable countries, the AARP Public Policy Institute found. Read the report, “Strengthening Medicare Drug Price Negotiation.” AARP has taken that case to regulators, urging CMS to use every tool it has to keep lowering drug prices and slow Part D premium increases.

July 2026, stress and well-being. Stress is a near-constant for most adults 40 and older, but few call it overwhelming. An AARP Research study found only about 1 in 6 describe their stress as high, and most get through it using daily routines and time with people they care about. Read “Rethinking Stress: How Older Adults Navigate Everyday Challenges.”

June 2026, nutrition and coverage. Roughly 4.6 million adults age 50 to 64 lean on both Medicaid and SNAP to cover their health care and their groceries. A report from the AARP Public Policy Institute warned that new work requirements in both programs could strip many of them of those benefits. Read the report, “Protecting Access to Benefits for Midlife Adults Enrolled in Both SNAP and Medicaid.” AARP carried the concern to Capitol Hill, urging the Senate Agriculture Committee to protect nutrition aid ahead of its farm bill markup.

May 2026, brain health. More people now grasp that they can shift their own odds of dementia — but the gaps are real. AARP Research found that more than 6 in 10 women rank Alzheimer’s disease among their top health worries, yet many adults still don’t connect midlife habits to how their brains fare later. Read “Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: Both Awareness and Readiness to Act Are Growing.”

January 2026, Medicare’s cost structure. A strong original Medicare is good for everyone on Medicare, not just the people enrolled in it. That’s the argument the AARP Public Policy Institute laid out: Original Medicare gives people nationwide access to providers and steady coverage, offers Medicare Advantage members a fallback if their needs change, and costs less per person than Medicare Advantage, which helps hold down premiums for everyone in Medicare. Read “Traditional Medicare: Why It’s Vital to All Medicare Enrollees and Medicare’s Future.”

Frequently asked questions

What is AARP’s position on affordable health care?

AARP supports policies that lower health care and prescription drug costs while protecting access to coverage for people 50 and older. We advocate for lower out-of-pocket expenses, stronger price transparency and affordable coverage through the health insurance marketplace, Medicaid and Medicare.

What has AARP done on affordable health care?

AARP’s commitment to affordable health care dates back to the 1950s, when founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus contacted 42 insurance companies before finding one willing to offer coverage to retired teachers. AARP later supported the creation of Medicare and today continues to work to lower prescription drug prices, defend affordable coverage options and support reforms such as Medicare drug price negotiation.

Why does AARP prioritize affordable health care?

Health care costs can force older adults to delay care, skip medications or make difficult financial trade-offs. AARP believes that people should be able to get the care they need without putting their health, independence or financial stability at risk.

How does affordable health care affect people 50 and older?

Health care needs often increase with age, making affordability especially important. Nearly 9 in 10 older adults take prescription medications, and about 2 in 5 report using five or more prescriptions. High costs can make it harder to pay for needed medicines and treatment, causing some people to delay care or make tough choices based on cost.

What legislation is AARP supporting on this issue?

AARP supports legislation and policies that lower prescription drug prices, limit out-of-pocket costs and protect affordable health coverage. Current priorities for congressional action include the Medicare Cost Cap Act, the Medication Affordability and Patient Integrity Act and reauthorization of the Older Americans Act.

How can members get involved?

Anyone — not just members — can participate in AARP’s advocacy efforts by signing petitions, contacting elected officials and joining local and national campaigns focused on lowering health care costs, reducing prescription drug prices and protecting affordable coverage.