The Iowa 2008 blog is a companion to AARP Iowa's Voices for the Future. Conversations reported here are the views of attendees and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of AARP. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that does not endorse any candidates nor make contributions to political parties or candidates.
Charles City, Iowa
Participants at the Charles City conversation had interesting stories to share about their experiences with health care and financial security.
One member and his wife had to declare bankruptcy because of egregious medical bills that totaled nearly a million dollars. They asked why they were required to pay such amounts when citizens within other countries had little, if any, out of pocket expenses for similar conditions.
The group reached common ground that the health care and financial security situation in the U.S. right now is dismal, and many were concerned that their children and grandchildren won’t have a Social Security pool to draw from when they get older. A few participants were college age students who also expressed belief that they won’t have access to Social Security when they reach retirement age.
