AARP Launches Effort to “Keep Medicare Fair”

April 7, 2008 -- With lawmakers returning to Washington, AARP announced the launch of a new effort to “Keep Medicare Fair” when Congress takes up legislation this spring. A new web site, KeepMedicareFair.org, and print advertising will kick off AARP’s work this week with more to come as Congress approaches its June 30 deadline for action.

Photo by vk-red (CC)

“We’re halfway to the June 30 deadline, and Congress still has much to do,” said AARP Senior Vice President David Sloane. “We cannot keep shifting the costs of a broken health care system on to the backs of older Americans. We hope to raise awareness about the fact that people in Medicare have already seen their premiums skyrocket and should not be hit with even higher bills.”

Beginning Wednesday, AARP will run ads in the following beltway publications: CongressDaily, CQ Today, The Hill, Politico and Roll Call. The effort’s web site, now online for less than a week, has already led to over 100,000 AARP activists joining to call on Congress to keep Medicare fair. The April edition of AARP Bulletin, which hits 23.5 million mailboxes this week, also features an article on the Medicare debate and a call to action for AARP members to reach out to their elected officials. Additional advertisements in targeted states are planned to run later this spring.

“Our 39 million members are already geared up for this debate because they’re tired of shouldering the burden of skyrocketing health care costs,” Sloane continued. “Whether they’re already in Medicare or planning for their retirement, AARP members will be watching to see whether their representatives in Congress vote to keep Medicare fair.”

This June, Congress will decide whether to again increase Medicare premiums to cover the cost of paying doctors more. Congress has continually instituted temporary “patches” to the currently flawed physician payment system. And each time, premiums for people in Medicare have gone up even higher. The latest patch will expire on June 30, 2008, and if Congress decides to merely patch the problem again—without premium protection—people in Medicare will yet again see their premiums rise even further.

AARP will continue to increase its Keep Medicare Fair outreach in Washington and throughout the country as the Medicare debate reaches its climax later this spring. The organization will be contacting its members and their lawmakers from its headquarters and state offices.

Source: AARP

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