shAARP Talk: Observations from AARP

You appear to be for the people who are on Medicare. I am one of those. Just be careful that you have the right kind of lobbyists in Washington. Mary Newlon

"Fair" does not provide any information. Health problems are not "fair". This ad trivializes the health care issue in this country. We need more responsible assistance from AARP.

"Fair" does not provide any information. Health problems are not "fair". This ad trivializes the health care issue in this country. We need more responsible assistance from AARP.

First of all, I'm a youngster (50) and new to this whole AARP thing. I really don't know a lot about Medicare as I never thought I would get old but alas, here I am. If the premiums don't go up, won't the doctors just stop taking Medicare patients? Where will we be then? All costs go up due to inflation, why shouldn't this? Please don't "flame" me for being inquisitive.

Stop the SOCIALIST PROPAGANDA!!!

Stop the SOCIALIST PROPAGANDA!!!

I think the ad get the message across in a manner that is very understandable. People are going to be afraid to go to the doctor for fear of what it is going to cost them, along with the skyrocketing costs of everything else. Making the decision between eating, medical expenses and heating your homes next winter will indeed be a tough decision. I feel for the elderly on a small fixed income who must make that choice daily.

For something that is supposed to be helpful it keeps getting worse. For some reason, nobody even attempts to go against the costs of medications not alone the cost of getting health care.

Besides the $96 a month for Medicare, I pay $125 a month for the gap policy. Then at the end of the year there is always a claim on taxes for another $4,000 to $5,000 over and above for services rendered.

My main support is Social Security. I have very small pension and alimony payments. Every month it is a tight squeeze. With the population getting older, there will be more people homeless, sick and depending on someone else to take care of them.

When is this going to stop?

I was deeply disappointed that AARP would not let me view the video unless I provided additional e-mail addresses. My response was not to view it. I do not forward e-mails unseen. AARP should do a better job of respecting folks' right to choose to send or not send. Subjecting viewing videos to providing additional e-mail addresses is bad.

First of all, I'm a youngster (50) and new to this whole AARP thing. I really don't know a lot about Medicare as I never thought I would get old but alas, here I am. If the premiums don't go up, won't the doctors just stop taking Medicare patients? Where will we be then? All costs go up due to inflation, why shouldn't this? Please don't "flame" me for being inquisitive.

Love your new tv ad' your right it is not fair!! stop hurting
older people. When you get older you need more heath care.
high cost of living as hurt them too. Janet

I signed it.
It's true, the cost keeps rising, but our social security checks don't....why is that?

The ad is pretty good, but what it really needs a good shocker ....to make it better, and wake people up...

Just thought i would put in my two (2) cents...that's all i have left after I pay my bills with social security.
Thanks for listening. :)

I just wanted to tell you I thought your add was very good. Short and to the point. And yet gets the message over very well. Thanks David

The segment of the population that can least afford to have health coverage costs increased is the elderly. I think it is totally unfair to keep raising the cost of Medicare. Why can't the people who are still working and making thousands and millions of dollars each year be taxed to cover the extra cost of Medicare. One of the problems is that the people who vote on these increases probably will not need Medicare since they make losts of money and have been able to save lots of money for their health care. With the average Medicare recipient that is not always the case. They are living from check to check and have very little left when all the bills are paid and the Medicare payment has been deducted.

If you worked to get Illegal aliens off Medicare & Social Security, ( Jimmy Carter gave it to them ) there wouild be a half of a trillion dollars saved right there and there would not need to be an increase in the cost for a legal citizen.

I think the ad is very good and gets right to the point. Well said.

I could not get this to work

It's time people start taking responsibility for themselves and stop asking somebody else (i.e. the taxpayers) to pay for their medical bill. Socialised medicine, Universal Healthcare, has not worked where ever it's been tried. Look at Canada and the UK. They are coming here for medical treatment because their health care systems are a disaster.

Yes, we need to Keep Medicare Fair....however in the State of Washington we are losing good physicians and Medicare patients are being refused service by doctors who are not getting paid what physicians in other parts of the country are receiving. In order to Keep Medicare Fair we first need to STANDARDIZE payments across the board.

If you are 65 or older you have NO CHOICE but to be on Medicare. Because of the low payment schedule in Washington State finding a physician who will take Medicare patients is becoming increasingly more difficult. This leaves the patient in a very frustrating hunt for medical care. Too often we must accept less than optimal choices.

Medicare patients are caught in the middle of this NO WIN situation. MEDICARE PAYMENTS NEED TO BE THE SAME IN ALL STATES.

Target , Walmart etc supply some 1400 medications @$4.
without an Insurance Card.

Why does AARP charge $7 (6?) for these medications, in addition to the monthly Membership fee of $188 (Plan J) and $32 for the RX Plan?

I just had to get a crown re-glued ... spent $80 .... without insurance ....

Had I used the HelathOptions/Secure Horizons program, the cost would have been $!79 .... something seems to be rotton in Denmark!!!

Well...I have been in medicare for two years now, since then I used the benefits three o four times. Every time I had to pay deductible or copayment. I would like to buy some suplement to avoid money out of my packet but my income don't allow me to do it. Thanks God so far I didn't get any serios sickness, but who knows in the future years when my age grows old. There wiil be big bills and I wonder if I could pay them. I know lots of people got the in the same situation without any hope for help. I want to thank you guys for trying to bring that help to all of us.

TRULY YOURS: Luis F Alvarado.

Good job, AARP Enthusiast. Thank you for caring about us seniors and our financial status. Great to know there is someone that can do something when things get out of hand or seem unfair to us. Thank you for helping to see to our needs.

You have it backwards. Congress is considering LOWERING the amounts paid by Medicare, Medicaid, amd Medicare HMOs to physicians, and hospitals. This means that even more of them will drop out and refuse to take Medicare patients.

I think medicare is an abominating. If we charged everyone in the country $25.00 or $50.00 a person a month, all of us could have the same covarge that our politician's have.
Money talks and that would be a hell of a pool to draw from. We may even be able to negotiate with the drugs companies for cheaper drugs.

What ad? All I got was a request to send to a friend!!!!!!

I fully understand the concern of AARP over rising Medicare costs, but I don't agree with the group's recommended solutions--more of the same. Price controls have always done more damage than good. Medical insurance costs will continue to go up and quality of care will continue to go down as long as we stick to health insurance models that remove customer choice from the formula. The administrative demands of health insurance add a layer of cost to health care that, as in Europe, becomes an ever greater part of the cost. In Germany, administrative bureauacry now accounts for more than 80% of the cost. All costs should be completely transparent to users of health care so they can make common sense choices. Fee for service was a far more efficient method of providing care than anything we have today.

I am more concerned with the proposal to decrease Medicare's payment to doctors by 10%, which may result in doctors leaving the Medicare program. Why is Medicare subsidizing private insurance companies? Traditional Medicare will pay private insurance companies $157 billion dollars over the next 10 years to subsidize private Advantage programs. That money should be used instead to keep Medicare premiums from increasing and doctor's compensation from dropping.

I have passed this on to all my 50+ friends who have email as well as my company manager. I work in the field of dialysis and if Medicare doesn't get a fair shake, millions of dialysis patients are going to suffer and that number is growing daily as 32% of the U.S. population has some form of kidney disease and they don't even know it. I believe in the voice of AARP. UNITED WE STAND!

I think we old people pay enough for our insurance and if the DR.'s would charge a resonable price they would get paid. I'm working part time trying to pay my bills and on a fixed income. It is very hard to have money to do the fun things is life I worked for all my life. (You know the Golden Years HA HA)

IF I were at less than Medicare age, this ad would be frightening. The problem is that SOMEBODY must pay the costs!! If not we the beneficiaries, who? Me?

This approach is probably counter-productive in the long run. Better, we should attack the basic problem, that is medical costs. Is there any other nation where medical costs are so-o-o high? Are there others where good medical care is available at less cost? Will EVERYONE rely on good inexpensive health care so that various factions will not feel that they are bearing the costs on their backs?

I understand the pain of seniors re the Medicare costs. I was a Senior Center Manager prior to retiring and saw, day to day, the results of the esculating costs. When it gets down to paying for ever higher "benefits" or eating dog food, guess what wins!

It's time to solve the basic problems, not rail about the result!

The ad is great! Unfortunately, our government leaders have been bought and paid for by big business and will allow the Medicare cuts to doctors to happen! They'll also charge us more for less!

R. B.

My doctor just told me that medicare is considering reducing Medicare payments to doctors by 10%. If that happens and congress raises the medicare premiums, where is this money going?

just great keep up the info. for all to see

Ad is good and we need to keep up with what is going on. But you are missing the point. I think we should not pay the difference our insurance or medicare pays to our doctor or any health care facility. Tell the entity to get the rest of it from the same place they get their money for the welfare recipients who uses it and the illegals who uses the facility. I have worked all my life and have been a responsible person, I am tired of taking care of those who are irresponsible and have an attitude of "you owe me". Maybe congress would do something about the welfare system (another form of slavery and prostition) and the illegals. Until those in congress truly care about America and its people, nothing will change. From what I see, they care about power and money.

Docs aren't taking any time at all with a patient now. I guess they think they aren't making enough money?

I recive medicare and I agree 100% with the ad. I have a limted income and if medicare keeps going up I will have to cut out things so I can afford to keep my medicare. It seems only the people who have money to burn want to raise the price of everything, they don,t think about the people who only have a set amount every month to make do. I pray that something can be done to stop this craziness!!!!!!

Yes, I watched the ad and think it is very good. BUT, is it going to do any good?

I'm sure you know that Medicare pays companies that administer claims for Medicare enrollees $12,000 a year per person? I just found our recently when I was wondering why so many companies solicit people turning age 65. My husband turned 65 in February 2008 and we were inundated with mail.

When we finally chose an administrator, and then changed within a month because we found a lower premium and better coverage, I told my husband to mention to the broker the amount the administrator receives. Her response, "oh, you know about that." Why doesn't everybody know about this and why can't it be cut? $1,000 a month to administer claims for one person! Some people have no claims and others may have several but is it enough to warrent the $1,000 per month?

Like everything else in American economy, medical costs are escalating. As a baby boomer, I worry about how I will afford those outrageous costs when the day arrives. Your advertisement is compelling, getting right to the heart of the source, skyrocketing health care costs. If something isn't done, we will be forced to choose, health care, food, or gasoline. Once those were necessary items to include in a household budget. Now? Cutting the budget is a necessity, and I cannot help wondering, how much more I should cut away. Health care? Medical costs? How do we balance our budget to afford all the necessities of life, soon to become luxuries because our budget is squeezed. Let's keep Medicare fair.

Medicare Part D is a joke. The donut hole prevents any real savings for seniors. Negotiating prices of meds is prohibited with Medicare, yet allowed with other govt. elements, such as the VA. Further damaging is the Medicaid cuts allowed by the administration, and encouraged by them.

The administration caused this to happen.

It is up to all of us tho change the way the situation exists presently.

These comments come from one who worked for three of the largest pharma companies for over a decade. And am quite familiar of the pathologically intimate relationship between our government and the pharma industry. We need to regain our rights regarding public health.

Talk to me. I'll share secrets and insider information, and know more than most with such issues,

Dan Abshear
Phone: 636-639-1027

The ad is a good use of thirty seconds, but the agency should use the correct spelling of "peek"; it was misspelled twice into the apex version.

I agree that medicare rates should not increase however I think AARP should explain that this is not an increase to what is paid to doctors it is only to maintain what they have today. My concern is that Seniors like myself will see fewer Doctors will want to take medicare patients.Mr PT has a large senior client base and she is excellent in working with us however if medicare rates reimbursement rates drop then she will not be able to continue. There are so few competent providers who are willing to put time into senior patience that it would be a shame to have some continue.

Upon reviewing the Ad I truely believe it sends out a strong message.
Thank You AARP

(Just not fair) Sounds like grade school kids talking! We have all of
us senior folks that vote,and we cant make a video that will bite congress in the Ass. get agressive with them

I am an AARP member, I also run Sales for a Spanish language station in the West Palm Beach area. Who should I contact in reference to advertising?

I look forward to hear from you.

Best,

Damaso Santana

Hi! I am an AARP member and I pay medicare payments every month
like every one else that does. In the ad I would like to see that
medicare would provide an advocate to help older people like me to fight city hall so to speak.

I was having some infection in my mouth over the New Years Weekend. I called my dental provider and three times and got the answering service all three times and they kept saying the doctor is saying you need to go to the ER because your case has health complications. All I wanted was some antibiotics. You should be able to buy them enough for a weekend without a prescription. In every country in the world you can do at least that except for the United States of America.

My heart was starting to race and all I wanted was some antibiotics because my body was becoming ridgid and it would be just a matter of time for my high blood pressure go out of sight. So I gave up and went to the ER. Thank God because within two hours of getting the medication my body became less ridgid and I fell asleep, but months later I get a bill from the ER unpaid by the medicare. That is unfair. I tried to get help before I went to the E/R. Medicare is not fair, cause I am disabled and not able to do many things.
It is good that I have children and nieces and nephews to type things in the internet.

John Wieder TX22 CD, Join if you like the Kick them all out of congress in 2008 movement. Start a meetup to get helpers for the cause. I am letting you all know about this because it was assigned to me to try and get you all to join the movement of
replacing all carrier polititions with only a couple of exceptions. Ron Paul they say do not try and kick him out. He is already home freee without any competition.

May GOD bless all of us, U.S. Too!

John Wieder tx22

Who is going to pay for the staggering increases in health care?
No one will be able to foot those kinds of bills. We need to focus our attention on reducing the bills that Medicare is expected to pay. The Dr's and hospitals do not have a sacred right to bill anything they want to and expect us to pay it. I suggest that the states set up Health Care Commissions with citizen representation. Then just like health insurance companies have to do, the medical providers must file their rates and get them approved. Some one needs to make sense out of the system and oversee it. The public needs some power to defend themselves. Right now we have zero.

It's hard to think that our great country has to turn to Medicare to help DR> make more money. I think they shoud be paid for what they do,but 50.00 dallars, to walk in says a few word that we don't understand and walkout ,leaving us with a feeling of what was that about. The part D for meds to me is a joke, we all tear for the insurance and just when we really need it wow we'er in the gap. Now how do we get the meds we need. I'd rather not have it at all if I can't use it when I need it the most. This is May, I'm in the gap already and I dealing with breast cancer and can't afford all the meds I need now. I hope someone will think about these sort of thing.

I do realize what the letters in AARP stand for. Still, I wish you would have inserted "and disabled" into the ad, as many people of all ages with disabilities are Medicare recipients and their access to wealth is proportionally no better than that of senior citizens.

I do realize what the letters in AARP stand for. Still, I wish you would have inserted "and disabled" into the ad, as many people of all ages with disabilities are Medicare recipients and their access to wealth is proportionally no better than that of senior citizens.

AARP is a provider of a Medicare advantage program through United Health Care. AARP financial benefits from this partnership while other Medicare recipients are paying more for their Part B. According to the Senate Committee on Aging, programs like AARP's cost the American Taxpayers 14% more than those of us who use the traditional medicare program. Medicare could save Billions by reducing reimburement to those "insurance" programs who bill excessively and who provide services which are not available to the traditional Medicare user. Perhaps AARP should take a stand on this issue which would allow reimbursement to Doctors to be maintained, keep part B from rising and help ensure the viability of the program for years to come.

AARP needs to do diligence on these web campaigns. I felt compelled to edit and send the sample letter to my U.S. Senators... however, the site would not allow me to do so.

This turned out to be a bit of a waste of my time, although I whole-heartedly agree with the campaign.

Chris

Thanks. Keep up the good work.

We like the add. Keep up the good work. God Bless you all

I agree with the premise that costs for medicare should not increase. However, California voted not to pay medical care for illegal aliens and the court shot that down. Our system wasn't burdened before we started allowing just anyone to collect the tax benifits we all worked so hard for. If we go to another country are they going to give us the kind of medical care illegals get here? Medicare wouldn't be looking for us to pay more, in fact our premiums would probably come down. If we don't do something physicians will stop accepting medicare patients. What will we do then?

I agree with the premise that costs for medicare should not increase. However, California voted not to pay medical care for illegal aliens and the court shot that down. Our system wasn't burdened before we started allowing just anyone to collect the tax benifits we all worked so hard for. If we go to another country are they going to give us the kind of medical care illegals get here? Medicare wouldn't be looking for us to pay more, in fact our premiums would probably come down. If we don't do something physicians will stop accepting medicare patients. What will we do then?

Of course, I like the ad, but I think it is time we start mentioning those congressmen and senators who allow this fiscal abuse of America's seniors to continue, BY NAME. Accountability is the number one problem in this country. Until the general becomes specific, the perpetrators can hide behind their anonymity. But it's a start., at least our representatives may be beginning to sense the natives are restless.

Great ad, I hope the right people pay attention to it and they do something about it. Thank You

Seeing is believing and the graph shooting upward shows the reality of costs going up ! Truth hurts, so want can we do??

Why not just cut ALL payment to illegal aliens and use the moneys to send them home. This would cut the cost of medicare in half

Please stop the demagoguery! Fair isn't the issue and government isn't the solution. The priorities people establish in the way they spend their money is a major part of the problem. Give up the trips to the beauty shops, sell the RV, and live within one's means. Look at the billions our society spends for entertainment and quack drugs.

Could not view ad

Could not view ad

Let's face it; if we do not constantly remind Congress of our status as Senior citizens, they will either be unaware of it/or gnorant of it/or both. We have to keep reminding them of our presence like the mouse needs to know that the cat is NOT going to leave the room. It is really difficult for someone with minimum social security or even the maximum with all the other expenses necessary to just survive, to keep paying higher and higher premiums. I wonder why we should pay any at all.

If you really want to know how to pay the Doctors, Hospitals, Labs and other medical expenses, take the many billions, yes, billions being spent on that stupid war and pay the medical establishment. I am not 65 yet, still a few years away, but I do not want to see any Seniors, now or later, be squeezed so they can't buy food, medicine or pay rent. This is supposed to be the greatest county on earth. Or did it used to be? Jjust what happened to it?

Good ad. I don't know any doctors who have gone broke, filed backruptcy in my life. My first medicare visit involved getting a cortosone shot into my hip..a 30 second jab. The doctor billed $170 dollars for office surgery, medicare approved $62.21.He also billed $115 for medical care, got paid $57.10; $11.00 for the injection, paid $4.63. I asked my family doctor what/who sets these charges. He said "insurance companies. I don't even look at the billings etc. It is of no use." So, I guess the doctor knew in the beginning what Medicare would approve so billed high enough to get that amount. He also said one of the reason medical costs are so high is the treatment etc. old people get who are past their life-value years. Let me say that if I did not have any insurance or if my regular insurance had a high deductible that had not been satisfied, I would have had to pay the doctors billed amount. The total for the visit discussed was $421; he got $155.26!

I would like to complain about the games you have....when you play a game once you cannot click on another game to play without refreshen. Why is that? I have tried rebooting and still once you play in order to play another game you have to refresh.

The biggest problem we have is that Congressmen and Senators do not know what it is like to live off of social security and medicare. If they had to do as we do, they would not cut social security and pass additional costs to us on medicare. They do not live in the REAL WORLD!!

I am employed full time at a fortune 500 company and have had little to no raises in salary over the past 4 years while my out of pocket expenses for group health insurance has gone up double digits. I've had to watch spending and make sacrifices to keep my coverage like many other working Americans.

There are many retired American's like my father-in-law who gets a good pension plus a good amount of sicial security each month. He can afford to pay a higher premium and he SHOULD. I cannot afford higher sicial security and medicare taxes to foot the bill for millions of senior citizens who have the means to pay more but simply do not want to part with their money.

The entitlement system is completely out of control!! It's time for true insurance and medicare reform and it must start now. More government programs or increasing the burden on working taxpayers is not the solution.

Social Security and Medicare needs to be for the poor.

The advert is too short. Should offer other options to rising care costs, e.g. cap on annual payments, limit drug charges, etc.

I like the new ad. May it be beneficial!

Instead of limiting what doctors are paid through Medicare(and subsequently increasing the ranks of doctors that won't accept Medicare),why not study where the money actually goes? How much of our dollar is spent on Administration of the multitude of health plans?How much is spent on sales and marketing of these plans?Don't forget to include all the personnel each doctor must employ to "run" his office.
No,I am not in the Medical field,but will need the Medicare program myself in 4 years and am extremely concerned not just about cost,but whether there will be any competent doctors in the program to care for the ever rising numbers of Americans who have only this health insurance!

What's this about Medicare premiums? I thought Medicare was "free". Isn't that why I paid Medicare and Social Security payroll taxes for the last 30 years?

Please keep medicare fair is a good ad but fails to note our country's deficit problems which must be addressed. I am a baby boomer who is aware of both sides. 1.my money may not last 2.my medicare may not cover much if we dont pay more in the future. You may remember the Mcare b deductible did not change for
many years. My deductible at work certainly did as my options also did. I paid more each year. Many years I did not receive a raise as much as SS gave. That is part of another fairness issue. How much do we want to
leave for our children to pay for. As I am now retired I will only get the SS raise but not based on Food & Gas costs. What a bad set of choices!

Two and a half percent increase in Social Security benefits this year have, in no way, helped us keep up with infaltion.

If anything, Medicare premiums should be decreased substantially.

The Medical news ad was right to the point.

It makes me scared to become old and try to enjoy my older age. What a shame for the generation that beleived in the work for what you get.And did just that !

This is the second time I am writing to you about your habit of addressing people by their first name.
It is demeaning and rude.
I suggest that you review this.

I think you should learn the meaning of the word peak before going nationwide and letting everyone get a peek at your lack of spelling skills.

Why is it unfair to pass the increased cost of medical care to the people who use (and hopefully) benefit from that care? Perhaps the problem lies with what you consider "fair" compensation for doctors. A license to practice medicine is not a commitment from the rest of society to make that individual rich.

My concern is that AARP has drifted so far to the left that it is no longer a source of unbiased information. So, what would be fair regarding Medicare and other liberal interests AARP is promoting -- that I pay for nothing and that the working young pay my way totally?

This is a fine ad except that it invites the inference that you support decreasing payments to the medical providers and institutions who care for us. This is a very bad idea. I live in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, located about 65 miles north of San Francisco. Payments to our medical providers have been cut and cut again. Medicare (Congress) considers this a rural area and therefore pays at a far lower rate to begin with than it does those in urban areas. It is just as costly to live and raise a family here as it is in San Francisco, San Jose, Berkeley or anywhere in the US. Understandably, a large number of our physicians (and their practices) have relocated out of this area. Many, if not most remaining providers will not accept new Medicare patients simply because they cannot afford to, leaving our community in a burgeoning crisis.
Please consider rewording this ad. It is equally unfair to balance the budget on the backs of physicians as well as consumers.

After watching the commercial I nearly had a heart attack myself. (Only a little mental one!)The ad created a sense of urgency, almost scary in nature to think people would just lay on table and die rather then be treated. I almost got the sense here that tragedy was unfolding in the individual and the healthcare system.

It is just getting to be so much nonsense with the mentality of taking "nothing from nothing". There is just so much retired citizens, people on disability, anyone (like myself) can do to "cutback" on expenses...so I say...

"Nothing from nothing leaves nothing"...and that is about all some retired folks will have if they continue to pay higher MediCare costs..

Mark Chase
Tucson, Arizona

No one wants to pay more for anything - yet alone for healthcare. I'm 2 years away from the start of Medicare for me. But, I was smart - I went to work for a great company for 35 years and have a pension and health benefits. I'm not looking for a free ride as so many people are. If you weren't smart enough to put money aside and prepare for the future. Go back to work!

If AARP wants to help, how about expressing outrage to our Immigration policy (or should I say lack of a policy). The no-nothing politicians in Washington, especially the Democrats, lack back bone to seal off our borders to illegals who are bleeding (all of) our systems dry.

We can save billions by keeping illegals out and by not allowing them any benefits until they become employed for 5 years. Let them pay taxes before giving then any kind of benefits - health, welfare, education - give them nothing until they become production and learn English!

Medicare is supposed to help seniors, not make them destitute!

Thank you AARP for going the extra mile for us seniors.Medicare premiums are already too high and getting higher every year,while our COLA's are getting smaller and smaller.Keep up the pressure!

Very good adv.

I thought the ad was better than the petition(incidentally, I did not have to forward any emails before viewing the ad online as one commenter suggested). The doctors need additional compensation or they may refuse to take Medicare patients, but we also need to be more specific as to how it will be paid for if Congress doesn't increase Medicare premiums. How about stopping our involvement in Iraq and using that money?

I pay 96 dollors for mediacare and 26 for aarp then still have to pay a co pay for my scrips. So were am i getting a head with any of this Judith Garroe

We need help with the Medicare cost very badly. I lost my husband last Nov and to think that Medicare will go up so much just scares me to death. I'm three years getting Medicare, just what will it be then?

We need help with the Medicare cost very badly. I lost my husband last Nov and to think that Medicare will go up so much just scares me to death. I'm three years getting Medicare, just what will it be then?

I am in total agreement with the KEEP MEDICARE FAIR campaign.I believe that an issue pertaining to the "Fairness" of how and to whom Medicare is awarded,has been overlooked.I am a disabled,58 year old male,residing in Los Angeles,California.When I applied for Medicare,I was entangled in red tape for years trying to collect my benefits which I paid into my entire working life.Few American Citizens are aware that hundreds of thousands RUSSIAN Citizens have been brought to the United States by our own government,and been handed MEDICARE benefits,that they have never paid into...along with Public Housing,Section 8,Food Stamps,SSDisability,SSInsurance,and every Social Services Benefit they desire. All FREE to them. Meanwhile,an American Citizen has to fight for the benefits that they need and are entitled to,and paid into through taxes,their whole lives. Now THIS is Unfair! THIS is one of the reasons that Congress needs more money to support Medicare...because they are giving away Medicare Benefits to every RUSSIAN Senior Citizen that our government has brought into our country. American Citizens will continue to face Unfair Medicare practices as long as Medicare is freely handed to Foreign Guests before it is allocated to the American Citizens that deserve it and are entitled to it First!

I'm sorry, but I cannot sign this one. I can't for the life of me figure out why Medicare recipients subscribe to such propaganda. All they need do is ask their physicians what reimbursements are like. I have worked in the healthcare industry for 30 years. I have seen changes in all insurance plans that are not fair. Since 1996, our overall reimbursements have declined upwards to 50 percent while our overhead has soared to over 150-200 percent (thanks mostly to malpractice insurance rates). Medicare alone has shown a decrease in 20 percent overall in physician reimbursements over the last 10-12 years. Several private insurance payors are at or below Medicare fee schedule rates. In July, we are looking at another 10 percent cut (in our specialy alone). We are contracted to accept whatever the insurance companies pay us in accordance with procedure codes. So where is the money going? I would have to say to the largest lobbyists-insurance companies, drug companies, plaintiff/trial lawyers. Certainly not the doctors and hospitals. Don't you think that it may be time for the government to put the resposibility where it lies and start returning borrowed funds from Social Security and Medicare back to where they belong? All of us taxpayers pay into these funds even before retirement. We should all have a say in what the government is doing with our money. As it is now, these benefits that we are all paying for will be depleted by the time the last of the boomers are even able to retire.

Are you kidding me?
Have you lost a member of your family lately?
Do not show a flat line with the sound...this is not ER!
I take offense at the trival approach to medical emergenices in this advertisement.

Both my wife and I have supplemental insurance, which again costs more money, because medicare DOESN'T and WON'T cover all expenses. No, COLA doesn't even begin to meet or match the additional expenses Having our previous president decide that taxing social security income would be a great idea, NOT, SS is reduced even further. I am in my 70's, raising two grandchildren, and can barely make ends meet. I work a part time job just to try and keep up. "Fair" is a nice word but "Equitable" and "Applicable" would be better. Have you ever noticed, the politicians who keep raising fees, taxes, etc. have no worries about their expenses. When they retire, they receive the same amount in annuity that they did for salary, and when congress votes itself a raise, they also get one. Not a COLA, a raise. They are also kept on the medical payment rolls. The middle class is rapidly becoming the poor class.

very real problem sounds weak and whiny.That's not fair. really... do you have intelligent people working for us or not? I have tried for months to get6 responses on raising home value limits on reverse mortgages and to date nothing now that is not fair. Who are you working for?

Since your preview ad did not work for me, I'll take your word that with the combined efforts of AARP members, the privileged U. S. Senators will approve this very important issue for retired persons. I hope this also covers prescription issues. I paid into Social Security and Medicare for over 40 years, so feel we should basically not have to pay for our medical care after we retire. This Medicare problem takes a great big bite out of our monthly Social Security checks.

I signed it this spring.

Congress will never understand until they are placed on the same social security and medicare benefits as tax payers, instead of their rich retirement and special hospital benefits that we tax payers provide.

As a veteran of W.W. 2 the time has come for our government to BALANCE their BOOKS.

President Bush will be leaving office next year and leave us with a Trillion Dollar deficit!

We will be in a Ression for years to come (but not in my lifetime.

signed: Richard G. Genton

Not with you on this. We must start paying for our services. We should not take money from others to pay for our needs. Money is not free. Government money comes from our sons, daughters, friends, and nieghbors.

We believe the ad is "Right On". We have serious health problems and it's taking almost half of our benefits to pay for medications each month and that's with us having Plan D.

The ad is a very effective tool for Congress but whether they do anything to keep Medicare Fair is another story.

The ad was good, but I am disabled at age 50. Non of the Medicare programs provide a supplement for anyone under age 65. I think AARP should support all their members getting help with Medicare.

I like your ad very much and can relate to it. I'm on only medicare and have had to have 4 surgeries, bloodclot the whole length of my leg, pnuemonia in the last 6 months and been in the hosp. several times and medicare don't pay very much so I have several bills to pay. with the yearly and monthly deductables and then only 80% paid, It is hard on a very low monthly medicare payment. I'm one of these people who have a hard time making ends meet. So I'm glad you are helping people like me.

I like your ad very much and can relate to it. I'm on only medicare and have had to have 4 surgeries, bloodclot the whole length of my leg, pnuemonia in the last 6 months and been in the hosp. several times and medicare don't pay very much so I have several bills to pay. with the yearly and monthly deductables and then only 80% paid, It is hard on a very low monthly medicare payment. I'm one of these people who have a hard time making ends meet. So I'm glad you are helping people like me.

AARP HAS A TENDENCY TO SPEAK WITH FORKED TONGUE. YOU BABBLE ON ABOUT DOCTORS BILLS BEING TO HIGH AND MAYBE GOING HIGHER. GOOD. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF CONGRESS CONTINUES TO CUT THE AMOUNT GIVEN TO DOCTORS.FOR THOSE OF US ON MEDICARE THE NUMBER OF HMO'S WITH VERY MANAGEABLE FEES ABOUND. KEEP CUTTING WHAT THEY GET AND MORE DOCTORS WILL STOP TAKING MEDICARE PATIENTS. THEN AARP WILL RANT AND RAVE ABOUT A PROBLEM BROUGHT ON BY THEIR OWN EFFORTS.

YOU WOULD FAR BETTER SERVE, WE ON MEDICARE,TO GET CONGRESS TO GET REAL ABOUT THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY MANIPULATE THE FIGURES THAT MAKE UP THE CORE RATE OF INFLATION ANNUALLY. THEY ARE LITERALY STEALING, MONEY FROM US EVERY YEAR WHEN THEY COME UP WITH AN UNREALISTIC NUMBER ON WHICH TO BASE THE ANNUAL INCREASE. THEY DON'T INCLUDE FOOD OR ENERGY, WHAT COULD BE MORE BASIC AND INCLUDE RENTS RATHER THAN THE PRICE OF HOMES. THIS YEAR RENTS ARE SKYROCKETING BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND FROM THOSE WHO LOST HOMES TO FORECLOSURE. I'M JUST WAITING FOR THE IMMORAL REPUBLICANS TO TRY TO SWITCH THIS THIS YEAR. THIS IS WHERE YOUR EFFORT SHOULD BE. THE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS STOLEN YEAR AFTER YEAR MONTH AFTER MONTH WOULD PUT FAR MORE MONEY INOUR POCKETS TAN THOSE TAKEN OUT BY CUTTING DOCTOR BILLS $50 A YEAR. bUT THEN AGAIN AARP SPONSORS THE SALE OF HEALTH INSURANCE. I DOUBT YOU DO THIS FOR NOTHING. YOU'RE NO BETTER THAN THE LOBBYISTS YOU CRITICISE.

the problem with this country is that its to easy to pass the buck on
to the public. whenthe oil companys decided to screw the U.S. public
by saying that oil is much more expensive now, so lets pass the buck on to the public. isn't it amazing how fast the price of gas goes up
but how slowly that it comes down, also think of all the people that are on social security or disability, their pay doesn't go up at all
to keep up with the very high cost of everything in this country,
it seems that our great politicians or our govt. just threw us on the back burner they don't care if we live or die. forget bush,he's to short and doesn't give a D--N

Yes I like the add very mutch.My wife and I are both on Medicare and pay 96.00 each for our coverage.And then we also carry secondary ins that cost her127.oo a month and i pay 144.00 a month.so we pay out 463.00 a month.it is a fight to keep our home anymore.PLEASE congress give us some HELP.

Charles Happ

I'm going to add to my earlier comment that I don't believe we're getting our medical care "free" or that the government is "paying" for anything regarding our medical care supplement. This certainly is not "free" to us by any means, since we've all paid into it over our long hard earned years' of regular 40-hr work week, and sometimes many extra hours of overtime. This has all been previously deducted out of our payroll checks in our younger years; so some of you, forget your "socialism" remarks, and people "expecting something for nothing" because that's far from the truth, when it's already been deducted from our payroll checks many, many years ago, or have you perhaps forgotten? It's seems almost like double taxation to me.

I do not like using scare tactics to make a point. We have enough to worry about on a daily basis.
Please rethink this ad.

I appreciate AARP for letting everyone know whats going on around us. I do not agree with raising the premiums or deductible and coinsurance so often. I am still working and I work with insurance companies so I know how much the deductibles have been going up and up every year as well as the coinsurance. The cost of premiums are unreal. People on social security are not getting much in their checks now and with the amounts being raised every year makes it ridiculous. Its a joke when the government gives you a raise cause you are just having to give it back. People on social security should never have to pay so much.

Dear AARP Officers:Eventhough your program to relief the high cost of medical care is commendable,is only an improvement of the present situation which is not going to solve the problem we have. The problem is you continue accepting the present health care model as the approtiate one, when the reality show it does not work. We are in wrong path, we need to change the USA model to the universal heath care approach of Europe and Canada.

I would rather see the medical care industry regulated beyond self regulation and licenses. Doctors get way too much money for a visit and do way too little for the money. Many times they have to look at the chart to know your name. The costs need to be fixed and controlled. Right now, the entire industry is very inefficient. Each doctor has their own forms, their own office staff, etc. Its an economy of micro medical businesses, but a business where the customers cannot barter for the fee. So they charge whatever they want. NO, I won't sign the petition. Its wrong. AARP needs to lobby to fix the REAL problem, not lobby to toss more money into the industry that is completely out of control.

Reading these comments reveals the majority of you have little to no clue what the Liberal/Progressive members of congress want to do with this country. Universal Health Care...it has failed in Europe and Canada for starters. Back to the real issue, educate yourselves and realize, if We the People, don't wise up and become more knowledgeable about who WE the PEOPLE are electing to run the government, We will end up losing everything this country is supposed to be. Our Government is already way too BIG. Taxes are out of control and will go higher if We continue to be sheep. One more point, how about WE start USING the Natural Resources available to us instead of buying them from everyone else. Before this gets too long, I suggest something for everyone to check out...Educate yourself on what EXACTLY Marxism is. READ everything you can find on it. Then you will understand why this up coming election is so IMPORTANT.

The ad does not address the basic problem of health care costs! What you are suggesting is that doctors should not get an increase in payment since that increase will be passed on to seniors. the information available to us states that each year doctor compensation by Medicare has been constantly reduced and the docs are leaving the profession or moving to another state where the cost of medical malpractice insurance is not prohibitively expensive( a subject for another discourse). At this time a plumber makes more money for a repair than than a surgeon is compensated for a hernia repair. Are we going to ask the plumber to substitute for a surgeon? Medical art is not a "do it yourself", Home Depot job. Let us be fair and compensate the doctors for their years of study, practice,and skill. AARP and Congress should spend their formidable skill and resources in working on the solution to the basic problem and not place blame and scold the other party.

Has anyone talked to the doctors? Because of Medicare lowering reimbursement fees to doctors, many doctors are retiring or quitting. They can't afford to stay in business! My mother recently lost her longtime doctor to retirement specifically because of Medicare changes. In West Texas and New Mexico, we can't afford to lose our doctors! Many patients have to travel 3-4 hours one way to see a cardiologist!

Rethink your ad!

Wow! AARP sends confusing stuff: Since when does Dodd & Lieberman pay Medicare? My understanding is We pay everything for these two so they can do the right things for us regular folks that didn`t get the pension and free health care for life. We depend on Medicare, so come-on you politicians(sic)& AARPies don`t mess up one of the best things government did for us

Outstanding! It sends a message. Now if govt. STOPS giving all illegals free healthcare and other entitlements, maybe we can have a quality healthcare and educational system again.

Outstanding! It sends a message. Now if govt. STOPS giving all illegals free healthcare and other entitlements, maybe we can have a quality healthcare and educational system again.

I would like to have more information on this before I send an e-mail to all the Senator(s) especially ny own Senators. It might be a good thing but before I commit myself I would like to know what I'm sending.

OK, we'd all like premiums to stay the same. Medicare already doesn't pay most health care providers much. The money has to come from somewhere if there is going to be any incentive for health care providers to care for medicare patients. This ad seems to be PR for AARP TO its members.

What is your alternative solution ... or is the AARP ad designed only to provide vague criticism?

The ad's OK, but AARP is is not going to get anywhere until they figure out who they should be supporting politically. Many seniors are among the most conservative constituency -- so conservative they will shoot themselves in the foot worrying about "socialized medicine" etc. while electing politicians who could care less about them and their issues.

I liked the ad and signed the petition. I hope it works! My complaint and the reason I did not add a donation is that although I am an AARP member and use your insurance etc. I cannot get medicare because I am too young. I cant get other insurance as a single personwith no employees. I take several medications so nobody will touch me. What about us? I work very hard with horses, which ubfortunately leads to occasional injuries. I dont bounce like I used to! I may be no spring chicken but Im a Slick Senior Cowgirl Chick at 51!

I being an AARP member, believe that with all of the members that you have, and those paying insuranance premiums,that you have that you could be more force full with you message. Remember that the President, Congress, and the Senate, and House of Representatives, don't have to pay for health care, it is given to them for the rest of their lives. If they had to depend upon, the meager payments that our insurance companies pay the doctors, and hospitals, then they would fully understand, just what john Q. public is going through. You are our voice, so shout it out. We give millions away every year to doctors, who see illegals, that are better doctor's, than what we get, but not to the people who made this nation what it is today. Stand up for the working, English speaking Americian, and give them the rights that they deserve.

1. "Sneak peek" is spelled like this.

2. May raise the premium "even more than usual" is vague--doesn't give us any information to use in our advocacy.

Please sharpen your presentation.

Medicare receipients need to pay more. Insurance should be for catastrophic events only. I don't have food or gas insurance. We are bankrupting the country by using it for everyday common ailments. We need to pay more or our children will be saddled with enourmos taxes.

Dee

want let anyone sign your ARRP petition if you dont give money so dont send me anymore your petitions

I like the “KEEP MEDICARE FAIR” AD. Its message is focused (health care costs), concise (30 seconds) and blunt (fairness in cost-sharing). But will it drive home the point that most of us can’t afford to keep going the way we are?

We are living on a shrinking fixed-income … Social Security is the SOLE-SOURCE of income for most of us … and it is buying less and less every month ! But politicians see, say and do only what is necessary to get themselves and their agendas elected and re-elected.

Many in Washington and in AARP have no clue how to ACTUALLY work together to solve the problems of retirees living on fixed incomes being hit with budget-busting medical expenses, increasing premiums and spiraling health care costs … or if they do, they’re not talking to each other … until a catastrophe happens … then it will be too late.

“KEEP MEDICARE FAIR” is a step in the right direction, but will ultimately FAIL without responsible and INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP please … in Congress and in AARP! Is anyone stepping-up to the plate? … NOT YET !!

If Congress gives the docs a raise and doesn't raise premiums, how will it get paid for? AARP needs to work with Congress on a long-term solution. That solution may mean fewer benefits. If we don't start now, Medicare won't be there when I turn 65. Health care isn't free. We need to find a solution that balances services and cost. Yes, it's going to hurt.

Does AARP have talking points on the underfunding of Medicare, which will probably run out of funds within 10 years?

I don't think i have left a comment before. All U wanted to say is we should watch who we vote for.

the ad has hit the target. we need to remind our senitors that election are coming for then and we will be watching how the voting on these bill.

The ad isn't very informative. If we want to be heard we need to have a NATIONWIDE MARCH of Seniors on Washington, DC. Other organizations use this method to get their message out, why can't we?

Depending on lobbyists to do it will only work if they line the pockets of our legislators with enough perks. In my opinion, buying votes is or should be illegal.

Come on AARP let's try a new tactic PLEASE.....I'm prepared to buy a bus ticket and pack a bag.

I wish I couldve really seen the video, but me and you tube dont work.
Ive tried you tube and it just aint happening on my computer

I have seen the ad on TV. I also have signed the petitions and written to our 2 state senators. I have had cancer for 5 years thsi month and the chemo is no longer effective. Medicare has denied some of my treatment and I cannot pay the 10,000 for each treatment ..so I also owe for meds that Medicare has decided I dont need. I was doing OK until until I turned 65 last year and then BOOM --denials for care started coming. My Dr has appealed these decisions many times but the answer is NO.; I hope those who make these decisions never have to face the Diagnosis of cancer or some other terminal illness.

I would welcome an increase in Medicare payments to doctors and an increase in premiums in return for a quality doctor. Currently, the good doctors in my area are not taking new Medicare patients. If my 82 year old mother's doctor were to be fatally hit by a truck tomorrow, I would be desperate to find a new doctor we can trust who will treat new Medicare patients.

What good is Medicare if doctors will not treat Medicare patients because they can make twice as much money treating non-Medicare patients? A medical degree is not an inexpensive endeavor.

Simple and to the point, but will anyone listen?

AARP's ad say's "to keep doctor's compensation fair Congress is thinking about raising Medicare premiums". Doctor's are already fairly compensated. Doctors, hospitals and other medical providers routinely manipulate a flawed Medicare system to overbill for actual services rendered. What was once considered dishonesty and criminal is now just good business practice for the medical industry.

I just submitted a post that was denied on the pretense that my email address is invalid.This is not correct...it is "bigtshane@aol.com'...a working valid email address for years, including right now....what happened to my post??..ot was not pronted....how do i retrieve it??? bigtshane@aol.com

First of all I consider myself lucky to have insurance at all. My husband and I are on Social Security and have Medicare Insurance. We pay $747 every three months for our secondary insurance which covers my husband and myself. This insurance is from my last job which I retired from in 1983 on disability - we have paid it out of our pocket since that time.

My secondary insurance covers our prescriptions (minus deductibles that run from $10 - $35 each, most of them are $35). Most of these I can send away for a 90 day supply. When the amount that the insurance pays reaches $4,000, our co-pays double. In the past that occured in August. I try to spread things out so that I only have to send for 3 or 4 every couple of months.

Last year when Target, WalMart, Giant Eagle and Meijer Stores started the $4.00 generic prescriptions, I did get some relief from the outrageous prices of 6 of my 18 prescriptions. However it was still not enough. I still ended up paying double co-pays the last 2 or 3 months of 2007.

Add to this the 5 medicines that I buy over the counter and have to pay for myself plus prescriptions that I have to get in between times (30 day supplies).

We have slowly done away with extra things that we have enjoyed in the past because I have so many medical bills. We are also lucky that my husband had hardly ever been sick all of his life until the last 2 years. He still doesn't have all the medical problems that I have and I thank the Lord for that every day because I don't know what will happen when they raise the cost of insurance or he does get very sick.

As one of the others said in their statement, our Social Security payments go up very little each year.

The government needs to quit paying our tax money that we have paid for the last 50 or 55 years to illegal immigrants and anyone else who has not paid into SS and stop moving money from SS for other things.

Also stop giving themselves outrageous raises every time they turn around for a few hours of work (?).

I know there are seniors out there who have no idea how to read their Medicare or Insurance EOB's and if their family doesn't know how either, they are up a creek. My mother used to go ahead and pay the doctors the balance after Medicare paid when she had secondary insurance that covered it.

Because Medicare has started sending the EOB's to the patient only every 2 or 3 months, the doctors have been billing me for the remainder of the bill when I have secondary insurance. The doctors don't want to wait for their money and I can't blame them but Medicare should send the EOB's when the claim is completed and not wait.

While I am speaking my piece I want to talk about the fact that when a patient is admitted to the hospital, the medications that they take at home every day are not covered by Medicare unless they have to do with the diagnosis for the admission. At least that is how it is where I live.

Most Medicare patients don't know this because they are not told when they are admitted. I have had to go to the hospital administrations on at least two occasions because I received bills for these medications. Now I take my own medications with me to the hospital each time I go. I have also been charged for more pills than I have taken (dispensed from the hospital pharmacy) and their prices are ridiculous.

You MUST keep track of what pills are given to you, otherwise Medicare will be paying money that they should not be. If the patient is not able to do this, a family member or responsible person should. If you have to, go to Medical Records and look at the pharmacy records and add them up.

Of course when I did bring an error to the attention of Medicare (they tell you to do this) nothing was done. It was a waste of time. No wonder we are paying so much.

We Seniors are being taken for a ride everywhere we turn. BEWARE!!!

thank you for sharing this information and trying to help stop the increase too medicare. I am not yet old enough to recieve medicare but I do understand how much it has gone up. My husband has been on medicare for a number of years and I have seen how much it has gone up each year. It is really hard to make ends meet when you are living on Social Security with the rising cost of medicare especially when Social Security does not increase enough with the rising costs.

No it is not "fair" nor is rising fuel charges, rising food costs etc. We need congress to spend more time in DC working on eliminating "pork barrel" programs, stop providing illegal immigrants with "aid" coming from the taxpayers,assisting countries that wish to see us exterminated. Hey, the monies spent on the elections campaigns could have funded medicare for a long time to come! Yes, we need to protect Medicare but that is just one part of the overall problem affecting America while politicians put "politics" before working to solve these issues. By the way I am a 64 year old un-insured female, waiting for Medicare so I can see doctors about several medical problems. So yes, I want to protect Medicare.

The ad is too soft. It doesn't convey the urgency of the problem. Face it. The only way to guarantee we'll get decent health care is to socialize medicine. I know many of you are afraid of the "S" word, but that's the only solution. Sure, doctors should be paid fairly. But how much is fair? It's already difficult to get a doctor to accept Medicare patients, and it will only get worse until the medical system is made truly universal. Otherwise you'll have to be rich to get health care. And at our age, it only takes one untreated illness to be our last. So get over it and support socialized medicine, or you may not be able to get any healthcare.

It's time to replace the idiot that's running this country, who's spent hundreds of billions of dollars on a ficticious war, given hundreds of millions to foreign aid; one who's in the back pockets of the rich and big business! It's time to get some new representation in congress to worry about the escalating cost of healthcare for seniors, middleclass and the poor; especially those people that don't have any healthcare coverage at all.

Your spot is short, but effective.

The cost of Medicare is raising and is out of control, first lets make sure that people who really deserve Medicare are receiving Medicare. Not the able-body, not the individual who refuses to work, or the illegal immigrants, it seems that the people who have work all there life, paid the dues as we say are getting the sham. Senior Citizens deserve much better, we could as a nation save so much in Health Care Cost, if we provided more financial and Health Care Services for home care. Allowing Seniors to stay home longer with better personal care is much more reasonable then the Nursing Home Cost.
I am not sure if the new PR program is covering the bases correctly, and some what concern that Medicare will become like Social Security and is a entitlement program for everybody and everything. At least we are demanding attention to this crisis and out of control cost.
Thank you ARRP for that.
God Bless America.

One of the reasons I am not a member of AARP is it's position on Medicare. Medicare needs to be updated, responsibly. It's an incredibly good deal for us right now. I agree with some of the other bloggers. You don't give enough facts.

I would prefer to see more information in the ad. Reform is clearly needed and this legislation is a poor answer. We all have to accept a share of responsibility in getting to this point. We have allowed our political, judicial and financial systems near free reign by our inaction and inattention - look where that has brought us. For this issue, somehow costs have to be brought under control. Does that mean that doctor's, the healthcare industry and pharmaceutical companies are making too much money? I believe so. Does it mean that individuals carry our share of the burden? Maybe not, but we must be close because it feels like it is out of control

Don't you think it's about time to change the law so someone who earned a $500 pension can collect it along with their meager Social Security benefit earned???

I think the Medicaid ad lacks content and is definitely not as good as some of the Medicare adds you have been running lately. James M. Johnstone