AARP has a short memory
The American Association of Retired People, according to “officials” in Congress, has decided to endorse the health care legislation work it’s way through Congress (AP Link);
In a coup for House Democrats, AARP will endorse sweeping health care overhaul legislation headed for a history-making floor vote, officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
An endorsement from the seniors’ lobby was critical when then-President George W. Bush pushed the Medicare prescription drug benefit through a closely divided Congress in 2003. House Democratic leaders are hoping it will work the same political magic for them as they strive to deliver on President Barack Obama’s signature issue.
It was just a few months ago, the AARP denied they were endorsing any healthcare legislation;
“We have the AARP on board because they know this is a good deal for our seniors,” Obama said. Later, in response to a question about whether the health care plan would reduce the availability of medications through Medicare, Obama said, “Well, first of all, another myth that we’ve been hearing about is this notion that somehow we’re going to be cutting your Medicare benefits. We are not. AARP would not be endorsing a bill if it was undermining Medicare, okay?”
AARP chief operating officer Tom Nelson immediately fired off a press release saying: “Indications that we have endorsed any of the major health care reform bills currently under consideration in Congress are inaccurate.”
So, I guess they decided that they don’t need members anymore. 60,000 left after the last endorsement.
Category: Health Care debate
“Well, first of all, another myth that we’ve been hearing about is this notion that somehow we’re going to be cutting your Medicare benefits. We are not. AARP would not be endorsing a bill if it was undermining Medicare, okay?”
Considering that they receivie royalties for AARP branded madicare gap insurance, I would say that AARP woud benefit financially from an undermining of Medicare.
AARP is getting on board because of the provisions in this bill that would do away with an insurance plan known as Medicare Advantage, which many private insurance companies offer. With Medicare Advantage gone AARP, which has their own version of it under a different name, hopes to move in and scarf up all of those members.
I vowed never to join AARP when they fought so hard to kill President Bush’s attempt to change Social Security to allow some privatization, something the residents of Galveston, TX who opted out of the system are eternally grateful for.
AARP is acting in their own self interest and it seems they did a cost/benefit analysis in the wake of the fall out from the last time they tested the waters and have come to the conclusion that they will benefit from endorsing this plan.
Apparently it will take more then 60,000 people walking away to make an impact.
Either the criminals in the white house offered the AARP billions of dollars in business or the Democrats mob enforcers (SEIU) has threatened to kill the families of all the AARP ex’s. The AARP has been nothing but an insurance company (who’s Ex’s make billions) for years. I am a former member who will never go back.
The senior citizens can hide and watch $500 billion disappear from Medicare, and medical care be refused if it cost more than a young government wonk (liberal democrat retard) thinks is too much.
Just a Grunt is absolutely correct. AARP will take over the medicare advantage program in turn for its endorsement of the whole plan. Why is this organization still not for profit? It is a political organization.
Screw AARP. They’ve tried numerous times to recruit me. I just round file their mailers. If they were softer, I’d wipe with them.
I was told in the not to distant past ( my memory is to short if it was a long time ago) that AARP had become one of, if not the largest, insurance company in the country. If in fact that is true are they just involved in the hopes of becomming the “single payer” in this whole thing. It does reinforce my thoughts about them. I will continue to rip up their little membership forms, write obsenitys on each piece and send it back to them at their expence. It seem to slow them down with sending more of their crap.
I’ve been trying all day to get through to AARP. I’m a member and wanted to cancel my membership and let them know why. All day long the phone lines have been busy. Sounds like they might have really screwed the pooch this time.
I do like CousinScott, I find anything I can without my name or address on it, and send it back to AARP in their pre-paid envelopes. But, I do make sure that the envelope weighs more than what the standard pre-paid envelope can carry, hopefully AARP has to pay postage on what I send them. But, in the end, screw them. I wouldn’t join their crappy, political organization if they paid me.
Ummm. If they haven’t been endorsing the HellTHKare plan, then why do I have recent memories of a commercial where an ambulance is driving slowly down the street, lights on, with a voiceover extolling the virtues of the govt plan & the horrors of the current ptivate insurance non-plan?
I’m glad I’m not in AARP. I determined not to join when I heard & read that they support gun control.