Staying Fit
The following documents related to health care concerns of people 50-plus are presented in reverse chronological order.
April
L: On April 25, 2024 AARP sent letters to Senators Brown, Collins, and Whitehouse endorsing the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. This bipartisan legislation will help address some of the negative impacts that Medicare beneficiaries can face because of an observation stay in a hospital, especially an extended one. (PDF)
L: On April 16, 2024, AARP sent a letter to Representatives Kat Cammack (R-FL), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) endorsing the bipartisan Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act. This bill would help reduce red tape for family caregivers in Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security programs, and CHIP. It could help save family caregivers valuable time and reduce the stress they face in their caregiving role. (PDF)
S: On Wednesday, April 10, AARP submitted a statement for the record to the Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee regarding a hearing on Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Telehealth Services. AARP’s comments focus on ensuring access to care and ensuring that telehealth services are of high quality. There is also a focus on how telehealth can benefit family caregivers. (PDF)
March
C: On March 21, 2024, AARP responded to a request for information from the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee regarding the Older Americans Act (OAA). Since 1965, the OAA has supported older adults so they can live at home with independence and dignity, deferring or eliminating more costly institutional services and hospitalizations. Our feedback highlighted the critical role OAA plays in making sure people in this country can age at home, where they want to be, and offered recommendations for how best to build on OAA successes. Specifically, the comments addressed strengthening support for family caregivers, improving food security and reducing social isolation, supporting housing stability among older adults, addressing direct care workforce shortages, and protecting and strengthening the reach of OAA programs. (PDF)
C: On March 15, AARP submitted comments on draft part two comments for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP) program to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). This program was created as part of the 2022 federal prescription drug law, and will provide Medicare enrollees with the option to spread their Rx cost-sharing expenses out over the course of the year. The submitted comments focus on outreach and education for consumers, the need for clear and inclusive communications to individuals who may benefit from the program, and operational considerations for pharmacy counter interactions. These elements are critical to ensuring that older Americans, especially those likely to benefit, are aware of the program. (PDF)
L: On March 15, AARP sent a letter to Senators Braun and Casey endorsing the Guardianship Grant Flexibility Act. This bill will help ensure an individual’s due process rights are protected by authorizing federal funds to State court programs to provide legal counsel through law school clinics for people subject to guardianship petitions. It would also allow for students from these schools to serve as guardians ad litem who, separate from counsel, advocate for what is in the individual’s best interest. These are important changes that could have a significant impact on the lives of people going through the guardianship process. (PDF)
L: On March 15, AARP sent letters to Senators Maggie Hassan and Mike Braun, and Representative Jan Schakowsky, supporting the Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act (S. 3621 and H.R. 1328). The bipartisan bill would require the FDA to develop rules requiring that new medical devices with digital displays (such as glucose monitors or insulin pumps) include accessible features for visually impaired users, unless it would change the fundamental nature of the device. AARP’s letter notes how the bill would better allow people with all types of disabilities, including blindness and low vision, to benefit from technologies that help them improve their health, make their lives easier, and promote independent living. (House – PDF) (Senate – PDF)
S: On March 11, AARP submitted a statement for the record for the Ways and Means Committee hearing on Enhancing Access to Care at Home in Rural and Underserved Communities. AARP’s statement focuses on the critical role family caregivers play in helping their loved ones live in their homes and communities, the need to recognize and support family caregivers, and family caregivers and Hospital at Home programs. Often, a family caregiver is the first and closest point of contact in providing care. As the Committee and Congress consider access to care at home, it is essential to consider the implications for family caregivers and the support they need, given their role in the care system. Care at home, the role of family caregivers, and the support they need are inextricably linked. (PDF)
S: On March 7, 2024, AARP submitted a statement for the record to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee regarding their hearing entitled The Older Americans Act: Supporting Efforts to Meet the Needs of Seniors. The statement addresses the needs of older adults and their families, outlines key programs and services authorized by the Older Americans Act (OAA), and emphasizes the importance of building upon the successes of OAA programs during the 2024 reauthorization process. (PDF)
L: On March 5, 2024, AARP sent a letter to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Neal regarding H.R. 7513. AARP urges the Committee to reject H.R. 7513 and, instead, protect the fundamental right of Americans to live in dignity in nursing homes. As we have seen too many times, inadequate staffing levels can have a devastating impact on residents and their families. We must ensure that facilities receiving taxpayer dollars provide the care they are being paid to provide. These basic staffing levels are long overdue. (PDF)
S: AARP submitted a statement for the record to the Senate Committee on the Budget regarding their March 6 hearing entitled How Primary Care Improves Health Care Efficiency. AARP’s comments discussed how investments in primary care – both through a responsive workforce and through thoughtful reimbursement – can yield improved care and lower costs. We urged Congress to support clinicians as well as family caregivers as part of the primary care workforce, and to appropriately pay for primary care services. (PDF)
L: On March 1, 2024, AARP sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services providing comments on the proposed Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Calendar Year (CY) 2025 for Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies. AARP's comments express support for improvements to Part D that would mitigate premium increases and improvements to the beneficiary shopping experience. Additionally, this proposal will continue to implement the new federal prescription drug pricing law that AARP supported in 2022. We also encourage CMS to enhance its outreach and education efforts so Medicare beneficiaries are informed about the ongoing improvements to their coverage. Regarding MA payment rates, the letter also reaffirms AARP's principles of assuring consumers a robust choice of both traditional Medicare and MA, striving to keep both options strong and on a level playing field. (PDF)
February
L: On February 29, 2024, AARP, along with 104 other signatories, sent a letter to U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Shelley Moore Capito and U.S. Representatives Mike Carey and Linda Sánchez expressing support for the bipartisan Credit for Caring Act (S. 3702/H.R. 7165). The Credit for Caring Act would create a new, non-refundable federal tax credit of up to $5,000 for eligible working family caregivers to help address the financial challenges of caregiving. (PDF)
S: On February 29, 2024, AARP submitted a Statement for the Record for the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health’s hearing titled, “Legislative Proposals to Support Patients with Rare Diseases.” The Statement focuses on two pieces of legislation discussed during the hearing, which attempt to weaken Medicare’s ability to negotiate lower drug prices for the American people. Comments point out that the 2022 drug law already includes protections for certain classes of drugs, and that by attempting to lengthen the time certain drugs are excluded from negotiation, the legislation provides a backdoor opportunity for big drug companies to continue charging desperate patients outrageous prices for drugs they sell in other countries for a fraction of the price. (PDF)
L: On Friday, February 23, AARP sent a letter to Senate and House leadership urging Congress to support crucial outreach and enrollment funding that helps connect low-income Medicare beneficiaries with financial assistance. Funding for the programs authorized under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) of 2008 expired in September 2023, and requires congressional action to continue. The funding goes to local entities, such as State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), and supports their work in identifying and connecting eligible individuals to affordable Medicare coverage. (PDF)
S: On February 22, AARP submitted a statement for the record to the Senate Finance Committee in response to their February 8 hearing titled "Artificial Intelligence and Health Care: Promise and Pitfalls." The statement lays out some of AARP’s major principles for legislators to consider as they develop policy on AI including ensuring that the technology does not discriminate against older people or other protected classes, promoting data privacy, and establishing systems of transparency and accountability. (PDF).
L: On February 21, 2024, AARP sent a letter to Representatives Buddy Carter (R-GA) Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) in support of the Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act (H.R. 2880) as approved by the full Energy and Commerce Committee. Currently, some pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) fees are linked to drug prices, which could incentivize PBMs to cover high-priced drugs instead of lower-priced alternatives. This bill would de-link PBM compensation from drug prices and instead require Medicare Part D plans to pay PBMs flat-dollar service fees. This will help reduce potentially misaligned incentives and help reduce costs for Medicare Part D enrollees. (House – PDF)
L: On February 21, 2024, AARP sent a letter to Representatives John Joyce (R-PA) and Scott Peters (D-CA) in support of the Expanding Seniors’ Access to Lower Cost Medicines Act of 2023 (H.R. 5372) as approved by the full Energy and Commerce Committee. This legislation would allow Medicare Part D plan sponsors to make mid-year formulary chances to add biosimilar drugs, which can be a lower-priced alternative to brand-name biologic drugs, provided certain criteria are met. This will help Medicare enrollees to benefit from the latest clinical research and new, more affordable prescription drugs as soon as they become available. (House – PDF)
L: On February 21, 2024, AARP sent a letter to Representatives Greg Landsman (D-OH) and Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) in support of the Medicare PBM Accountability Act (H.R. 5385) as approved by the full Energy and Commerce Committee. This legislation would enhance reporting requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), including annual reporting of information about prescription drug dispensing, formulary placement, financial arrangements with consultants, and potential conflicts of interest. It would also allow Medicare to prescription drug plans to audit their PBM for compliance. This increased transparency and accountability will help inform other efforts to lower costs for consumers and taxpayers. (House – PDF)
L: On February 7, 2024, AARP sent letters to Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Mike Carey (R-OH) and Judy Chu (D-CA) endorsing the Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act. The bill would help inform people about Medicare’s voluntary option for Medicare beneficiaries to allow family caregivers to access their health information through 1-800-MEDICARE. This can make it easier for caregivers to communicate with Medicare to help their loved one or to advocate on their behalf. (House-PDF) (Senate-PDF)
L: On February 5, AARP sent a letter to Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) endorsing the bipartisan Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act of 2024. This bill would allow for any family caregiver who owns a pre-tax health expense payment account (HSAs, FSAs, HRAs, and Archer MSAs) to use the dollars in that account for the qualified medical expenses associated with either their parents or parents-in-law – in addition to the individual’s spouse and dependents, as allowed under current law. If enacted, it would be an important step to help alleviate the financial challenges that millions of family caregivers experience every day, especially the increasing number of “sandwich generation” caregivers who are simultaneously caring for their parents and their own children. (PDF)
January
L: On January 31, AARP endorsed the We’re Addressing the Realities of Menopause (WARM) Act (HR 6743) introduced by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN). This bill addresses the stigma and lack of information associated with menopause by developing education and training grants to improve the diagnosing and treating of menopause by health care providers. The bill also creates a public awareness program. (PDF)
L: On January 30, 2024, AARP endorsed the Credit for Caring Act. The bill is being introduced in the Senate by Senators Bennet (D-CO) and Capito (R-WV) and in the House by Representatives Carey (R-OH) and Sánchez (D-CA). Senators Warren (D-MA), Collins (R-ME), Hassan (D-NH), and Murkowski (R-AK) are original co-sponsors. The bill would provide an up to $5,000 nonrefundable federal tax credit for eligible working family caregivers to help offset a portion of out-of-pocket caregiving expenses. (House PDF) (Senate PDF)
C: On January 8, AARP submitted comments on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2025. The letter provides feedback in support of several proposals, including expanding available benefits to those enrolled in ACA Marketplace coverage, harmonizing provider network standards between state and federal Marketplaces, and allowing for the inclusion of adult dental benefits in Marketplace coverage. (PDF)
C: On January 5, 2024, AARP submitted comments on the Proposed 2025 Policy and Technical Changes to Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs (Part D). The letter provides feedback on proposals meant to positively impact the beneficiary experience for both MA and Part D enrollees. These proposals include increased requirements for transparency from brokers and agents engaging with consumers; more frequent notification of available supplemental health benefits under Medicare Advantage plans; and, more flexibility to make small-scale, mid-year changes to Part D formularies that will allow enrollees to access more affordable biosimilar drugs. AARP’s comment letter also supports the proposed implementation of standards for Real Time Benefit Tools, which help prescribers access the information they need to provide the best options for patients’ prescription drug needs. (PDF)
