Legal Commentary

AARP Not Endorsing Any Specific Health Care Plan

By Jeralyn

AARP CEO Barry Rand released a statement today on why AARP supports a new health care plan:

Doing nothing is not an option. But any reform must not get between a patient and their doctor. It must not cut Medicare benefits. It must not allow insurers to continue to line their pockets by covering only the healthiest and the youngest.

And those 50 - 60,000 members who quit since July 1? AARP says almost 1.8 million people have joined or renewed their memberships in the same period. AARP has 40 million members.

So, does AARP support Obama's health care bill as he said last week? It's not clear. After Obama made the comment, it responded:[More...]

“While the President was correct that AARP will not endorse a health care reform bill that would reduce Medicare benefits, indications that we have endorsed any of the major health care reform bills currently under consideration in Congress are inaccurate.”

AARP says it is committed to making sure health care reform will do the following for members:

• Lower Drug Costs and Strengthen Medicare: Close the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole," ensure patients' access to their doctors, and crack down on fraud and wasteful spending;

• Protect Your Health Care Choices: Make sure you can choose your doctor, your health insurance plan and where to receive care;

• End Discrimination by Insurance Companies: Prevent insurance companies from denying you coverage because of a pre-existing condition or using age to price Americans age 50-64 out of affordable, quality health insurance; and

• Guarantee Stable, Affordable Coverage: Ensure you have the security of knowing that if you lose or change jobs, you will be able to get affordable, quality health insurance.

NBC News is releasing a new poll today showing "a plurality of Americans now oppose a government-run plan — 47 percent to 43 percent That’s a shift from last month’s poll (released in conjunction with The Wall Street Journal) when 46 percent said they supported it, compared to 44 percent who did not.

The poll finds support decreasing among seniors:

Among seniors eligible for Medicare the drop was even more striking — 10.4 points — suggesting the health care debate is raising alarm bells for older people.

How will it end?

In the House, where Democrats hold a 256-178 majority, passage of legislation will hinge on the ability of the administration and Democratic leaders to satisfy liberals who favor a robust government option and centrists who prefer the co-op approach.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not insisting on a public option:

In a statement, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, "There is strong support in the House for a public option," adding it is the best way "to lower costs, improve the quality of health care, ensure choice and expand coverage." But the statement did not rule out legislation that lacks a government option.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on August 18, 2009 (boomark / email).