ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

Bill Novelli said nothing of substance.
The President (Obama) has already proposed cutting HMO funding. In effect cutting any extra benefits that those of us having HMOs are enjoying. Government Medicare alone is not nearly sufficient payback for the billions of dollars that we taxpayers payed into the system for so many years.

I would like to see some action in repealing or at least
means testing both the WEP/GPO provisions of the Social Security
act.

I just hope that the entry process of healthcare for seniors is going to be REFORMED also. I am turning 65 on 02/26/09. It has been a nightmare that will not stop till some time in March and Maybe beyond I was told by aa MassHealth worker.

Uncle Sam adjusted my Social Security check and took out $96.40 for insurance before I turned 65; That I can not afford. My vitamins and meds cost me $25.00 + this month. They had been free.

To keep it crazy, MassHealth has not made a decision and will not make one till I am 65 via the computer and the beat keeps on.

I just hope that in the decisionmaking for us Poor Seniors someone notices the madness and tries to end it.

Why cut Medicare benefits so we can give insurance to the uninsured? Why charge our elderly for the problem? This is entitlement redistribution. Pure Medicare doesn't cover nearly enough of our medical expenses. When is AARP going to speak out and help protect Senior benefits?

Why don't we just ALL line up at the local Federal hospital for all of our health care needs on an age-based diagnosis/remedy basis. Apparently, that is one of the goals of AARP along with the other socialist directions of the organization. Welcome to the United States of France! (However, in France, it remains legal to have your own health care insurance to cover you when the government either will not or will wait until you have died to provide care.)

Government does little well, so I do not trust President Obama & the Washington D.C. bunch that have screwed-up so many things in our country & State of Illinois with my WELL-BEING & Medical Care!!!

I want the insurance business completely out of our health care system. For twenty years I have been privileged to have Medicare Coverage. I have heard much about the health care plan for the Legislature. The American People and American Business should benefit from programs like these. Small businesses are strangled. Bigger businesses' competative stance is compromized. Jobs go over seas. Good health care has evolved into the right thing to do as well as the most moral stance and it should be available to every member of this society.

1. Why after paying for health insurance during our working years do we have to pay a premium to Medicare after age 65?
2. Why do you have to continue to pay Medicare premiums after going on Medicare, and at the same time continue to have withdrawn money for Health Insurance, FEHB if you continue to work part time after age 65?

We need places cheaper to live. I am 64 and still working. What we pay in rent is unreal. If I retire now I would have no place to live. We have 62 and over places here in Richmond but the rent is 800.00 to 900.00 dollars and you can't make but a certain amount. What is left to live on. Senior need cheaper places to live that aren't dumps. thanks

i would like see things be improved for the medicare and the social security not take anything from the old they have paid their dues give them a break it makes us so fearful and worry.

It is my belief that the USA must go to a single payer system that most if not all of the countries on earth have. The HMO's in America are not for the patient's health but are for the systems bottom line (read profits not patients). As long as our health system is run for profits we the people will be left at the mercy of the bureaucrats running the HMO's. Why do you think the owners of these HMO's fight so hard and pay so much money to the politicans to vote against any real change to the health care system as it exists today.

senior citizens need help on ss and their supplements, as ou know aarp went up on their fees again this year. why don't you try to help us that need it .

I didn't think that Mr. Novelli had very much to say. It sounded like he would go along with anything Mr.President wanted to do. I didn't feel like he had Seniors best interest at heart.If he only knew what a hard time most of us seniors have making ends meet.

02/26/2009

Understanding that having the appropriate people on the federal level, even talking about the subject, is several steps in the right direction. These people are always very focused on maintaining their position and power.

The trick for those of us who support health care reform, is to keep constant pressure, pushing the appropriate people towards putting something in place right now. It certainly will not be perfect, but it is the most important step in the process, to break ground, to get started. We can review and subsequently refine the plan as we move forward.

I am concerned with where retiree benefits are going. The President has help for the middle class, the working, etc. but said nothing about the seniors except cutting parts of Medicare. The guy that is unemployed will get more, the working guy will get more, etc. No mention of those that are living on a fixed budget.

I hope you are down there talking about how important your seniors are - seems like they are the ones when I shop, eat out.

The only way to go is "Medicare for All" It will save us all money in the long run and we already know that mEDICARE WORKS!

I feel that universal health care will most assuredly destroy the company provided health care thus taking away this hard earned benefit that many retirees use as their second provider to enhance their Medicare benefits. This is NOT an improvement!

“UNIVERSAL” defined generally as fitting all; however, in the case of many “universal things” I have used I have almost always found it to mean that it doesn’t exactly fit, or requires modification, or is of a lower quality.

I want my health care to be dictated by my doctors and my choice not what everybody else gets or what SOME GOVERNMENT official says is the proper treatment.

IF UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS IMPLEMENTED THEN IT MUST APPLY TO ALL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES FROM THE PRESIDENT ON DOWN WITH NO EXCEPTIONS. IN ADDITION IT SHALL NOT APPLY TO ANY ILLEGAL ALIENS.

Jim

Bill Novelli did not speak for me. I am convinced the huge expenditure of funds by Congress as called for by the President has destroyed the economy of the United States, such as it is, and will result in a Depression the like of which even I, a child of that Great Depression---two years old in 1929, cannot imagine. More money for Medicare means nothing when there will be no one working and no insurance to pay for care. The more AARP calls for the less there will be to go around.

NOTHING IS GOING TO HELP CHANGE IN HEALTH CARE UNTIL YOU STOP THE MEDICARE FRAUD!!!
as a health care professional, i see it everyday.
one suggestion is to get the public to start looking at their medicare files and questioning and confronting the charges.
all i have hear is "Oh, i don't care, i have medicare, i dont have to worry, i'm not paying."
THAT ATTITUDE HAS GOT TO STOP!!
have everyone on medicare go over their charges and question why.
make the doctors and hospital and VENDERS responsible.
I have seen outright fraud in south Florida.
Get health care professionals on the committees and get them out into the offices to audit.

didn't say a darned thing....rhetoric...rhetoric. no explaination ..no direction....just hip hip horray and Nancy jumping up and down!!

I am so disgusted with health care right now. My sister-65 yrs old, on disability- went to the emergency room in extreme pain in her left side and back and noone in the hospital checked to see if she was constipated. They -and I appreciate this- checked her heart and blood pressure and gave her fluids, took an ultrasound of her kidneys, sent her home with thereport of "kidney stone", then on her return to the hospital told her it "was not a kidney stone".
She determined later -through friends- that she was constipated . So, for a week - she was in pain, and noone at the hospital mentioned or checked constipation. I am furious!

I have recently retired from a 30+ year career managing Hospital Accounts Receivables. I think that there is a gross inequity in that Medicare only pays "costs" which is about 50% of what the hospitals charge for services. However, the uninsured (self pay) patients are expected to pay 100% of charges. A great deal of these accounts end up being written off to bad debt and go to collection agencies which really hurts the patients.

Also the charges are extremely inflated. A hospital that I last worked with takes the cost and then multiplies it 3 to 4 times. Then at the beginning of each year, they just increase all of the charges by 10%.

If these two issues were addressed in health care reform, it would certainly make a great difference.

Mr. Sullivan, what is WEP/GPO? In order to keep medicare in place, social security will need to change a bit. Would going back to limiting the amount of income an individual can make in order to receive social security help? I believe this would reduce the number of recipients and the amount of social security paid out each year, but I'm not sure. We must be careful to stay focused on the good of ALL American people vs the good of the current insurance companies or any other lobby group. Otherwise, we will not create a sustainable plan with the long-term support of ALL U.S. citizens. I believe that President Obama will use the best minds available to produce a viable healthcare product.

greetings from canada. As I sit here going over my Emails I had to respond to this being also American. I know that United States is I.4 trillian Dollars in DEbt. And the President has to find out how he is going to re structor this heavy Debt he has to cut back on some things. Even though you are in a deep recession at this time it has already hit CANADA. Cutting back is no salution. But then what choice does the President have .If the president gives everybody what they want then thats going to be a bigger problem to United Staes and you don't need that more Debt.

I am a 64 year old male and now on disibility Social Sercurity--I paid my money from my earnings into the Social Sercurity inveatment since I was 17 Years old and fell I deserve the monet I get each month. I also paid into the medicare plan ever since it was greated and Surly do not deserve less than it offers now! I strugle to get by from month to month with the income I now get. I also can not stand any cuts any where. Please do not take from me what as a American have paid into this program! Help Help Please!! Johnny F Sammons PS I am a Voteing American as is My Wife and Our Children.

This all sounds great. It is expensive, who pays for all of this. Be careful what you wish for, I have friends who have experience with this kind of healthcare in Canada.There are long waiting periods for test, treatments and doctors appointments. As seniors, we may be denied care for conditions that are deemed just problems of old age. For example, macular degeneration, you many not be allowed treatment to stop the progression until you are blind in one eye. I don't know about the rest of you but I find this unacceptable. Do any of you know what losing vision in one eye does to the ability to do things that require depth perception. If there is a way to save eyesite it should be available as a choice for you and your doctor. Not some bureaucrat in Washington who cares nothing about you or your needs. The best way to cut healtcare cost is to do somehting about torte reform.

I don't think Mr. Novelli said anything of substance, mostly comments rather than specific questions

Don't forget about fraud. Health insurance fraud, Medicare / Medicaid fraud, etc. is rampant. Just as dishonesty contributed to the huge upheaval in the mortgage market and from there into the general financial sector, the fraud in healthcare is weighing down the system and punishing those who try to play by the rules. Let's see some tough enforcement and enough staff and budget to really give it teeth. I'm tired of being cheated by the very systems that are supposed to be working for me. Let's really make it transparent, Mr. President. As it is now, those without insurance are often subsidizing the doctors for insurance patients. Because they can't negotiate a lower price individually, they wind up paying twice as much for many medications and procedures. This is further victimizing those at the bottom of the ladder so the fat cats at the top can live an unrealistically high standard of living. It's both immoral and unsustainable economically.

There are two ultimate problems with health care in the United States. One, a good problem, is that we have such a wide variety of tests to determine the cause of health problems that high costs can be incurred if they are all used. The second, a bad problem, is that if the Doc's do not try all these wonderful tests, they face the very real probability of being sued out of business by the predatory legal community. This is a dilemma and one which I have no answer or solution. I don't want to necessarily limit an individual from compensation from negligence, but some of the settlements I've seen border on the obscene in their amounts. Good luck Mr. President in finding a solution. We all ought to be responsible for some part of our health care costs, it's just the catastrophic ones for which insurance should cover! Regards, John

I believe that when all is said and done HR 676 is the best approach at the best price. It too will take a lot of explaining to present the trade offs in a clear fashion to the American public. If we desire to rebuild our manufacturing base then we need to take the costs of health care out of the manufacturing cost structure. Our manufacturing base is often no more that a health care company who happens to make something else. HR 676 will end of creating more jobs than any other approach. Lets fix the problem, not nickel and dime it to death as many will advocate as they seek to protect their special interest.

One of the reasons Medicare is showing signs of strain is the lack of health insurance for the whole population.
If all American citizens had health insurance from cradle to grave the Medicare system would not be so stressed. Many people presently seek Medicare when they are in really bad health, or put off dealing with dire situations until they reach 65 years of age. If other Industrial countries can provide health care for all their citizens we need to study how that is accomplished.

I am glad President Obama is taking on the wasteful, abused, inefficient and fraudulent health system.

I am concerned and feeling very vulnerable. So it is good to know that such people as Bill is doing what I am not qualified to do. Listening to the short take, the words were vague, but I was not there. I know AARP is working for the likes of me. It seemed like a press conference and it was not time to discuss specifics.

Please do not post this email.

My status is a retired Verizon employee watching the rabbits nibbling at what I thought I had earned, which is a lot less now. It makes me think that I am on a very small iceberg and the sharks are swimming around it and it is also heading south. I look around and I see so many other worst off. So it is good to see some boats like AARP trying to protect us all, no matter how difficult it is.

AARP STAY OUT OF POLITICS. OBAMA - QUIT SPENDING US TO OBLIVION.

I would like to think that when we talk about these things that we are more than heard, we need to be understood. National Health Care is not a new or unexplored idea. I first heard about it in the early 90's with President Clinton. Nothing happened then, & President Obama promised that this would be taken care of by the end of this year (2009). I assumed along with everyone else, that he had a plan waiting in the wings. This President, unlike the last, usually doesn't say something, unless he already has the answers ready for us. It is not in character with this President. I don't care if that is the case or not, it needs to happen. Mr. President I voted for you in part, because you respected the intelligence of the American people enough to know that we are not, & will not allow ourselves to be hoodwinked again. This is the one promise above all that got you to the White House. Please don't let this be your Achillie's Heel. It is my intention to keep you in your office until they say you can't stay anymore. Please don't let us down.

AARP as an organization is backing a process that will give the government more control of the health care field. Government regulation is already part of the reason for our high costs. Additionally, the government is now talking about getting in between the doctor/patient relationship and making trade offs. Traditionally, government involvement means higher cost, lower efficiency, lower quality but equal treatment. Is this what AARP is supporting?

To whom it may concern
Iam concerned in the remarks of Mr Novelli, I expected Mr Nowelli to protect what we have paid into all these years, He has to understand that Obama is going to lead us down a path that will only hurt those persons that paid all those years to have the medical care they derseve. When are you people going to understand the true path that Obama is taking us down, HE IS NOT GOD, don't treat him as if he is. STEP UP AARP, it is time the grey hairs use their clout.

The broad range of topics involved in Medicare reform will be a daunting task. Having practiced clinical neurology for 30 years has revealed to me the good, the bad and the ugly about our health care system. The health care providers began utilizing this program in the mid sixties with great reluctance. And now, forty years later we are engulfed in a morass of paperwork that competes well with our Internal Revenue Service. The wealthy clamor for Free (Mecicare) Health care under their entitlements, while the elderly and sickest among us are unable to comprehend the alphabet soup that has been dished out. That includes Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D. Perhaps a single payor system will solve much of the country's dilemma with respect to the high cost of medicine. The physicians would then have less paperwork, and less confusion with the current myriad of insurance companies. The patients will benefit for the very same reason. Good luck. It does not look at all easy.

Yes, WEP and GPO badly need repeal or modification to help us retirees meet our expenses.

And about health care: Cut the Gordian knot! Let's have Medicare for All. Put the onus on government to cover everybody, not on individuals to buy their own coverage. Thank you, Mr. President, to propose financing this measure by taxing the rich. As quickly as possible, but incrementally if necessary, let's make it happen!

Cutting HMO's funding from Medicare would certainly put a lot of HMO employees out of work, though some of them could come aboard the expanded role of Medicare supplement insurance. I'm currently an HMO subscriber (not employee) and enjoy all the benefits, but in order to save money and provide a less complicated playing field the shift to "Medicare plus Supplement Insurance" needs to occur. I know I would pay more, but I think The President is right--its time to change.

Talk is cheap and that is all I heard. The AARP has pleanty of INTELLIGENT people as members. CPA's,Attornies, Doctors and BUSINESS leaders. Instead of just emotional appeals with no substance it is time for ARRP to present a SOLUTION in the form of a plan that takes into consideration the COST for Universal Health Care.
It is my firm opinion this can be done. My concern is a misreprensation of facts by the POLITICIANS and directing health care for POLITICAL advantages.
I can see a rationing for those over a SPECEFIC predetermined age, sex changes for those desiring them,inadequate availability of Physcians,degrading of medications and more FREE Stuff for the WELFARE CASTE SYSTEM.
One only needs to look at National Healthcare Systems in Europe to know they operate in the RED.
FREE is one of the most potent words in MARKETING and PROPAGANDA and people are being suckered into a Universal Nanny State by proposing FREE care. Nothing is free and the WORKING American should know by now it is increased TAXES that pays for the FREE STUFF.

There were too many things "on the table" that were not mentioned so it is hard to judge whether or not Bill added anything of value or was just telling the President what he wanted to hear.

I'd like to know if there is anything being done to stop Congress from raiding the SS fund? I get requests almost every other day from firms claiming that we all need to fight for this to happen and please send money. Why is it such a problem? With the 40,000,000 members of AARP we should be able to put on a full court press with the new Congress and get this legislation passed. Utopia would be for Congress to repeal their automatic pay raises in light of the dire straights of most of their constituents.

I agree with the direction that President Obama is giving to the need to revise and upgrade the health services sector! Changes must be effected or someday we will find our nation faced with the only alternative left - a national health care system!

I would like an examination of how the HMOs are managing their fanancial resources. How much 'profit' is being handed over to those who are already well off? How much money is being used to sustain a 'I'll scratch your back you...' management of this business?

Bill Novelli said nothing of value in the sound bite.

We obviously need comprehensive national healthcare, not stop gap measures. The problem is: President Obama has given away the money needed for this in his misguided stimulus package. AARP and the people who supported the stimulus package should have thought about that before getting behind it. I am an AARP member and am not pleased that we supported that piece of pork rather than push for real healthcare reform. Now even if we get healthcare reform it may bankrupt the country which helps no one.

I also hate to see decimation of our military to fund healthcare. The terrorist will strike and it will be our fault. Seniors need security, healthcare and little else from the government.

One more time you have a President who talks and does not give even one solution. I didn't hear Bill mention any ideas which is what he was asked. Free health care is something we should not want, anything the government is in charge of is a very, very expensive mess.

It should be evident that the only thing this group will accomplish is set up committees that will produce a report in a year or two that will never be acted on. With 40 million members of AARP we need real solutions and not more taxes and bills that remove more of our protection in our senior years.

We all need health care, and can't afford to be careless with unworkable programs. I would like to read the overall plan the way it is now. This is a complacated system that needs to be studied, and action be taken to make it stronger. I will look forwad to seeing the aspects of the heakth care system that effects older americans. Sincerly, Pat Washam

To say that Obama and Sullivan really said nothing would be saying more than they said about health care reform. The main problem with Health Care is the criteria one must meet in order to receive any Health Care assistance in America.
Too many poor and single parents, as well as the elderly, have been forced to actually seek bottom, before, they are given any form of assistance with their medical expenses. Health care is withheld from those who have managed to acquire a house, or life insurance, or dependable transportation (a vehicle valued at more than $2000.00), or any other assets which public assistance programs may considered expendable.
It is often these same “expendable assets” which allow those in need to work their way out of their impecunious situation. Most families require dependable transportation to obtain gainful employment. The acquisition of a home, Life Insurance, and gainful employment are some of the bottom line motivating factors that drive most people toward their own financial independence. If we demand that they must liquidate these things and/or abandon hope of ever obtaining them, in order to receive and/or sustain Health Care assistance, we are taking away a very real part of their purpose to live in the first place.
So far, I have heard nothing which addresses this issue. Until medicine STOPS being a for profit industry, I do not expect to hear of any plans being set in motion that would change the ridiculous requirements that must be met in order to receive Health Care Assistance in the US.

Blood shot out of my eyes when I listened to the inane comments from Bill Novelli, who purports to represent the "membership" of AARP. He does not represent me and I am quite sure from statistical and anecdotal evidence that I am not alone.
As a stanuch free-market conservative, I believe the Marxist Moron and his Team of Weasels in the current Administration, are in the process of destroying [in a matter of mere months], the concepts of individual freedom and capitalist economics that it took mankind 5000 years to properly conceive and 200 years of American history to properly construct.
The obvious liberal bias inherent in all of AARPs political propaganda efforts is repulsive to me and a corrupt misrepresentation which requires immediate rectification. Even if an honest attempt were made, it would be impossible to provide a single voice on political issues to the full spectrum of opinions among members of an organization as large as AARP. Given the diametrically opposed philosophies, the intensity of idealogical commitment and the cogency of disparate arguments, the pretense of an "AARP position" regarding political issues is a malfeasance and a dereliction of duty by the leadership. AARP has many apolitical programs of value that it can and does provide its members; it should concentrate on that mission. It's political posturing does both the memership and the country a disservice.

I think the Medicare System could save some money by cutting out abuse to the system. Put more limits on how many times you can run to the Dr. for every little ache and pain, how many times you have expensive testing done when nothing is found, signing up for help programs when you are fully capeable of doing the things yourself, etc. I know there are a lot of people out there who actually do have things wrong with them and really do need these things done, but I also know there are others who abuse the system.

I have paid my own insurance for years and both my husband and I had a hard time paying for it. We just went on Medicare and the last thing I want to hear is that it will be cut. I have paid into ss for 50 years. It's not my fault the Government missused the money on illegals, and those that never put in a penny of their own money. Its time for people to pull their own weight and not wait for Government. This whole thing is a disaster for the Nation. Put some housewives in government, we sure would know how to budget. We sure as hell not waste money like PELOSI.

Obama said nothing about input from the citizens. Only that we can listen. Washington will decide "what is best for us", and we can just take it or leave it.

WHAT DID EITHER ONE OF THEM SAY, OF SUBSTANCE? SOUNDED GOOD, THOUGH.

I agree with Phillip ... Bill Novelli said nothing of substance. We need the government to leave the health care alone. We need the government to do what it what set up to do and that is to protect our country ... not be one of the biggest employers.

The USA cannot afford national health care! Pay attention to Canada. If national health care is started, Older Americans are not going to get the care they receive now, if at all. We do not need the idiots in Wasington saying who gets treated and who dosen't.

Dear Sirs:

If AARP really wants to do something for us older people, they would be shouting at the White house and Congress to change an inequity in the tax laws. We should not be penalized when we take IRA or 401 disbursements by being driven into higher tax brackets. this "income" should receive treatment outside of being added to gross income. The current treatment puts many seniors who are living off withdrawals in to much higher tax brackets, simply because they are drawing down savings. yes, these are untaxed funds, and taxes are due on them, but it should be at a low rate - not added to whatever else one may scrape together as income.

The current approach make America's seniors one of Obama's targets for collecting more taxes (along with many small businesses, and the entrepreneurs of the US.)

The People who take advantage of the system like the ceo's who write there own boneses packages are the pople who need to be put into line with the rest of the population. SS is a vitial program that needs to be made fucesional so the earned retiries can live a good life out of starvation and deciding wheather to eat of get druged up for life.
It is high time to take the cap on earnings off to suport the ss and medicare programs. the rich recieve the maximum payments from these programs why should they not pay the maximum in earnings to suport these programs

Much ado about nothing. We will spend more and it will cost more, and all taxpayers will end up suffering from this insidious socialism.

There needs to be emphasis on making healthy life styles popular/patriotic!! Too many people in our society are overweight/obese, too many still smoke, too many abuse drugs and alcohol, then they all get sick (WHAT A SURPRISE!) and burden the system.

I 2nd this! What a stupid statement, if he has nothing better to contribute he should be fired and replaced. Why was he even asked to comment?

Bill Novelli said nothing of substance.
The President (Obama) has already proposed cutting HMO funding. In effect cutting any extra benefits that those of us having HMOs are enjoying. Government Medicare alone is not nearly sufficient payback for the billions of dollars that we taxpayers payed into the system for so many years.

I d0 think that when called upon to respond by the President, Mr. Novelli's had no substance to speak of.

I am 63 and retired. I am paying out of pocket health insurance and has no or little benefits derived. I just hope that when I really need it, it is there for me having paid into it all my life.

I would like to see that the benefits or the entitlement programs should be designed to deliver the value of what's been contributed by the individual and his/her family. You can not have free for all system without limits. Today, a small percentage of folks put the largest strain on these benefits depleting the system faster than it can keep up. A prioritized benefits program as well as keeping benefits in line with national average would help ease this strain.

I am concerned about the royalties that AARP receives when advocating, for instance, United Healthcare. I am now very concerned about my insurance costs because of higher costs this year. Can't all of this be made so EVERYONE can compare easily?

AARP should NOT be receiving royalties from anyone! How would one know if products they recommend are truly the better products???
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Thank you.

I resent this illegitimate elected Obomination for trying to "level us out". That is, we need a quick cure this aristocracy before the cancer spreads.
We are NOT socialists here in the USA. He needs to get over his agenda before the Revolution "levels" Washington DC. We are not having much more of this demonstration of arrogance & his marxist agenda.
So, yes I agree with you, but in a much stronger capacity. We are "in the battle of our lives".

One very important step can be taken right now. In order to have universal health care, we need universal Medicare. Many doctors are now refusing to accept Medicare patients.
We should pass legislation NOW that says: if any doctor refused to take Medicare patients (their right to do so), then they cannot practice at a hospital that takes Federal/Medicare funds. Similiarly, if any hospital knowingly keeps a doctor on its staff that does not take Medicare, they should lose their Federal/Medicare funding.
This will go a long way to assure universal coverage. It can also be used as a catalyst to "audit" why there is such a discrepancy between what Medicare (and other insurance plans) pay, and what doctors and hospital think they should bill. This difference is often 1/4 of what hospitals "load up" in bills.
We need honest action and honest accounting.

We lost our Health ins.in Aug/08 when my husband lost his job. We took out a low cost discount coverage in Sept/08 plus $50.00 extra for RX.This coverage which costs us monthly $349.99 covers nothing. I have to pay for my blood tests, and as of Dec/08 most of Doctors are NOT covered. The rates for family coverage are like telephone numbers and since I am not on Medcare AARP cannot help me. I have Epilepsy and Lupus which is in remission. My daughter has Asthma. I have to take her to the allergist next week, and I have to pay for the Doctor and every test he will run.When President Obama figured out extending COBRA, he forgot all the other people who lost their jobs before he took office. I have to buy my medication from Canada because 1 months supply of 1 drug Topamax which I take, the generic is not yet available in the USA. I guess the FDA has to work on that.The 1 month would cost me over $600.00. They give insurance to people who have no income. $2200. I have been bleeding my husband's 401K and IRA. What will we retire on when the economy gets better? Are we your future welfare cases???

The same old story. A lot of talk with nothing behind their talk. Our Senior Citizen sitting in poverty and little or no health care.I want to see some real results. Something worth living for.
I can't expect my children to provide for me. They have their own familys and struggles. I never realized all the years I was paying into Social Security I live to see it as a farce.

I am suprised that senior advocates don't realize that Government run universal health care is garanteed mediocre or poorer healthcare and that "efficient" health care is a slick way of saying that healthcare will be metered out based on persons age and productive probapility and any other priority that the Government decrees. Let Government get out of managing healthcare and give tax incentatives to citizens to encourage securing private insurance.

I believe that it is mandatory that any health care bill contain a clause that, any health care bill that is signed into law must contain a clause that " if any change is proposed or passed it ( health care ) must be as good or better than it (health care ) was before the change".Otherwise an administration will come along latter and gut the bill to where it no longer works. An example of that is the changes to Medicare , veterans and Medicaid The last eight years. The government already pays for universal health care and if a bill is passed it will organize and economize the costs and delivery of health care in this country. Everyone should be added to the veterans benefits plan from cradle to grave ,including the politico's in this country,no exceptions. Pass it now.The government needs to get out of the lying to consumers business and stop the lying co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles,which are nothing more than lies about the cost of the premium.Stop this abominable practice now.

When I worked in the healthcare system and as a citizen using Medicare I witnessed the vicious circle of reimbursement - Medicare does not reimburse the hospitals/doctors sufficiently therefore they raise the cost of healthcare so they will realize a little more in the reimbursement - the prices go up so insurance goes up, and on and on and on. There needs to be fiscal responsibility on the part of Medicare reimbursing a fair amount to the medical providers thus bringing down ultimately the costs filed for.
It was so apparent, also, how the high costs of prothesis, diagnostic equipment, medications added to the hospital costs with that and a markup being passed to the patient(s).
It will certainly take all these entities and more working together to make healthcare affordable - here's hoping that happens at last.

Have you noticed that the concensus is that neither one of them said anything of substance? When socialized health care is a reality AARP members will have one rude awakening (or perhaps a rude dying as they wait for treatment, if they're eligible).

And get ready for means testing for all Social Security benefits. Of course there will be no means testing for Congressional pensions!

Perhaps it would have been more effective to inlcude AARP's position in the summit rather than a few seconds of comment after the fact. I am pleased that AARP has a seat at the table but have to agree with others that the comments were superfluous.

Has "entitlement" become a term of art when referring to Medicare and Social Security? The word for me means something given free of cost or effort. During my working career, my employers and I paid $72,000 and $216,000 in taxes to Medicare and social security respectively. The government has had our cash for a long time and I think we have paid for our "entitlement".

I hope AARP's efforts concentrate on health cost cutting. Without it, the goal of universal coverage only expands the economic base on which health profiteers will prosper.

I agree with Phillip Sexton's comment and would like to add that neither of them, the President nor Novelli said anything substantive. One expects that Mr. Novelli, being invited and in attendance, would have been better prepared to respond in the event he was called upon. "Winging it" is not what we need in an executive position. Any person can do that! I hope to follow this thread and future correspondence to determine if we see an improvement in his performance. What a golden opportunity lost!! One additional comment. When is congress, the President and AARP going to get their act together and solve the problem of fairly compensating the docs for their skills? A plumber is better compensated for replacing a leaky faucet than a surgeon who repairs a hernia. Surgery is not a "do it yourself" project. Every December Congress and Medicare threaten a further annual reduction in Doctors compensation, to the point where Doctors are leaving the profession. The practice of Medicine is the only "business that experiences price control. During a recent visit to the general practitioner, he employed a " timer" and when it went off, the visit was over. He had to see another patient to insure that he generated enough revenue to support the office staff,record keeping, rent,medical insurance and all the expenses of any small business.

While we all agree that health care needs to be reformed in toto, I'd like to address concerns and MY suggestions for making the transition process from now to end-state be less painful. Most people just say "I want my health care to be less expensive". Some, like me, say instead "I want access to the health care I really NEED", and, if that means paying some more in the shorter term (during the transition period), that is my preference. For example, there are some medications I need where the generic version does work nearly as well as the brand name version. I want the option to be able to get continuous coverage for the brand name version, and I am willing to pay a higher monthly premium for that. Similarly, I found falling into the Medicare "gap" to be very painful, and have had to forego some medications that would be of great benefit because I just can't afford the full retail cost. I would very much like to be able to have an option that I can choose that eliminates the "gap" altogether, and I am willing to pay a higher monthly cost for that, even if that monthly cost is, say, $100 extra. Living on a fixed monthly income, it is much easier to manage fixed costs than face a sudden, very large, expense.

Comments of President Obama and Bill Novelli unfortunately reflect the entitlement mentality of millions of Americans and especially of AARP leadership. Thus, they help speed us along the way to socialism and its attendant mediocrity while helping to shrink the ranks of the industrious.

I did'nt get much out of what Mr. Novelli had to say.What I do know is that until our Gov. both the House and Senate go on S.S. and Medicare (NOTHING) will be done.

Bill Novelli said nothing of substance. That follows the fact that Mr. Obama also said nothing of substance.

Seems to me that AARP, with 40+ Million members, needs to be heard more forcibly but at this time I do not see that happening. We should be a NON-Partisan Group of Seniors rather than a partisan group nodding our heads like 'bobttle-heads' on a car dash.

I have major concerns that if Mr. Obama's intended changes to Health Care take affect, we Seniors will have to have the approval fo some Health-care Czar before treatment begins. So much for our payments into the system for all these years.

Most of us are on the same wave length, if I read the comments correctly. So why are our views not better represented?

I listened with interest, hoping that Novelli would espouse something that would raise the level of interest in the issues so desperately facing older adults. It was not forthcoming. AARP, I believe, has a conflict of interest. AARP is a lobbyist group for seniors on one hand and profits from the sales of their products on the other. AARP failed seniors in the Congress when the group went along with the proposed drug benefit within Medicare. I believe the group thinking was that it was better to have the drug benefit with all its problems and fix the problems with it at a latter time. The problems arose quickly and the fix is nowhere near to being addressed. Every year, seniors find changes to drug company benefit/formulary plans that require them/families to search for a group that will cover all of their medications. The strings attached to change are endless.

There is a fix. Put the drug benefit back INSIDE original Medicare.
Allow the government to negotitate prices for the 44,000,000 seniors as the government does for the veterans.

America will not solve the issue of heathcare until the profit element is removed from the healthcare industry.

We have a system in place now, Medicare, that is the appropriate place to expand to cover all Americans. It has the lowest administrative costs of any insurer.

Let everyone look outside the box for solutions. We are in desparate need of help. CAN WE PUT PEOPLE OVER PROFITS???????

President Obama must have really listened to Mr. Novelli. After his speech the other night he declared one of the first reforms would be to cut Medicare. Hooray for AARP!

The whole deal sucks--IT'S SOCIALIZED MEDICENE-- and to get this he is going to cut coverage in Medicare which means you and I pay more.
God can this country take 4 more years of this communism socialism policies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Republicans please help us stop this madness!!!!!!!!

Where I am in Va it is very hard to find a Dr who will treat you. They don't take medicare patients. Medicare pays for nothing so I don't get pap smears or mammograms anymore. Once the government takes it over completely and they start applying an age requirement, we wont' have to worry cause we'll be too old and not get enough years out of the procedure. That's why there aren't a lot of nursing homes in Europe----they make sure they die. When you need a knee or hip replacement, they make you wait so long that it isn't an option anymore. All of you with your hand out for something for free will find that you get "free" quality also from sub standard Dr.'s cause the good ones won't be doing it anymore. Ever wonder why so many people from foreign countries come here for surgeries.

Bill Novelli did not say a thing.

He did not take a true stand for the seniors.

He acted more like a member of congress than a seniors advocate.

He gave lip service to Obama.

The next thing I expected to see was him kissing Obama's ring.

I second the motion of Mr. Sullivan's comment on the WEP/GPO Provision of Social Security. Please give us our due. We may not have paid SS during our total employment, but for us who paid the 40 quarters, we should get all the benefits due us. All those years that we contributed, we did so with the understanding that we would get all the SS benefits that we are entitled at the time. It is not fair to change the rules after game has been played.

I retired in February of 2008 and are still on my wifes medical plan. Now I have been told that because I didn't take the "Plan B & D", when I retired I will be subject to a penalty fee. I feel that the government is not for the peaple but in business with all of the insurance companies for more graft. We should all tell our so called represititives to get off there but and work for the persons who put them in office.

Bill Novelli said absolutely nothing of substance. The direction America is taking at this time is entirely socialistic and flies in the face of the Free Enterprise system. As long as the American voter keeps returning the same people to Congress, we will get the same results. Government involvement in our health care system will be disastrous. We need government out of the health care system, out of the insurance business, out of the banking business, out of the auto industry, and out of OUR LIVES. God help us!

This is the end of the Great Medical care system we have. I agree in more efficiencies, but I don't want the Socialist (Dems)putting a needle in me to end my life.

If this group of responses doesn't wake up AARP, I don't know what will. The liberal right is a mask for a four letter word-AARP. The cost of this government insurance program will be managed like every other government program--high cost, inefficient and ineffective service and a means of taxing "the wealthy" to redistribute wealth. I am retired, so don't consider me as a wealthy person, I'm not. But the liberals want to take more and more of my money for their continuing "social experiment". When will this charade stop?

It seems we are heading for the biggest disaster in American history..one thing the white house people should look at is history the rise and fall of many great powers that tried to supress religion. Sooner or later the American people will wake up (i pray to God soon)and oust people like Pelosi, the woman is nuts! I am also praying for our president that he comes to his senses and looks at the big picture as it really is, not what the idiots, a.. kissing idiots tell him. If I have offended anyone, well I don't really care.

The President and the Congress MUST agree to live under the same health care system as ordinary citizens. Until this happens, I believe most sane and reasonable people will not support the plan. I certainly believe in helping those in need - people with disabilities, etc. However, I do no condone helping people who will not help themselves. AARP does not speak for me on anything. And a message to you Mr. President: You do not have a mandate. Clearly half of the country did not want you in office. And by the way, it has nothing to do with your color. It is your belief system which I believe is highly damaged. You are nothing but "words - just words." I wish Government would get the hell out of our lives. In addition, we were informed 2 weeks ago that retired salaried people (does not affect the hourly retirees)as of April 1 will loose all of their benefits. After a nearly 40 year carreer with one company (now in bankruptcy) we loose all health care, dental, visual, long-term care and life insurances. We will take care of this ourselves. We do not need your health care plan. Let the market work!

I didn't bother looking at the video because Novelli is so married to any liberal idea dribbling out of the mouth of this scurrilous empty suit, one need not waste one's time listening to him.

It is very sad reading the stories and testimony from so many seniors that have been bamboozled by AARP's relentless and misleading propaganda...the email that says "Email your Senator now, telling him/her that you support better health care now!"

Enough poor guiless seniors believe this means health care will become more affordable and accessible, that I'm sure they click away. Then Novelli goes to Washington asserting he represents the membership of AARP for every crazy idea Obama tries to sneak through the Congress.

Any senior who believes he or she is not going to be tapped in some way to pay for all this socialism deserves exactly what they get. Wake up!

I believe that our health care system as it stands today is driven by greed and not compassion. This is one place where a capitalist economy falls short. If our government is run " by the people and for the people", then why are profit oriented insurance companies running our lives? Reaching retirement age or being disabled doesn't mean "social security". It means fighting with insurance companies for our very survival. If this trend continues, there won't be any retirement. The next generation of blue collar workers can expect to die at there work stations. Golden years? Yeah right!

AARP, you don't get it. We want less government, not more. We just want to keep what we earn and we will be OK!

Simplicity, affordibility and effeciency should be the biwords for improving the health care system. I only hope that AARP would stress these in the forthcoming debates.

Agree? or Disagree? There's nothing of substance to agree or disagree to! Sounds like Obama and Novelli went to the same school for speaking... Say a lot of words that mean nothing. We're looking "for an equitable solution to an unsustainable situation." give me a break. The government cannot and has not run anything well. Why in the world would anyone want them to meddle in the healthcare system? The capitol is out of touch with reality and I am of the opinion that the AARP is not far behind.

Novelli is just agreeing with Obama and Pelosi and Reid. This Healthcare System is getting rammed down our throats. We do not need it. What happens to those people who already have private insurance programs. Then we have to go to the Government program. Ask anyone in Canada, Great Britian, and Europe who have these systems. You think it is bad for us waiting in Dr. offices and hospitals and clinics now?? Wait till they implement this - you will just have to die before they do anything. Don't you understand this Socialism and Dictatorship!! We are not going to be any better than Cuba or Venezuala - why don't the people understand this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you really think that blindly supporting Obama's liberal agenda is beneficial to seniors, AARP members or Americans in general?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANY OF IT..ITS NOTHING BUT DOUBLE TALK. USING WORDS A PHILI.LAWYER COUDNT UNDERSTAND IS NOT GOING TO HELP ME. I NEED THEM TOO SPEEK PLAIN ENGLISH. ALSO,I THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE ON S.S. WERE GOING TOO GET A REBATE.NOW THAT THE BILL HAS PASSED AND THE PRESIDENT HAS ALL THAT MONEY TO SPREAD AROUND,WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR REBATE?????????I WILL BE WATCHING AND I WILL REMEMBER....
MR.STEVEN WISE
INDIANA,U.S.A.

Would that I were wrong but there is no perfect health care "system".

Universal care will overwhelm the providers which will mean at best long delays in obtaining needed services; ie. I was in Houston, Tx. recently and needed Emergency medical care for a wound; 7 hour in Emergency room before the 1 available Doctor could get to me. And even more serious, to increase professional staff, medical school training standards will be lowered and quality of care will decline.

O that Solomon would have lived in our time.

Reality sucks.

What President Obama doesn't understand is that there was NO problem with Soc. Sec. or medicaid until HIS PARTY overrode the objections of President Reagan and the first George Bush and dumped it into the general revenue fund. Until then it was an in the black, set aside program, that had NOTHING to do with Federal budget. They were two seperate entities.
After they stole our Soc. Sec. from us, the surplus disappeared completely. The programs went into the red immediatley as politician funded more pork.
This problem was created by the Democrats.
Both houses of congress as well as all govenment agencies and department heads should be in and dependent on S.S. as the rest of us our.
It is NOT an entitlement program but a savings program which was to protect us the citizens, during out retirement years.
I'm old enough to remember when you had you year's SS paid up by Sept. or Oct. and then your salary jumped. I also remember it being a VOLUNTARY program, not a tax. Until the congress made it mandatory and also began to raise money for un-employment benefits. Does anyone else remmber the time when there was no un-employment benefits.
This is a word play, con-job and President Obama is an empty suit proposing no new answers and filling his staff with ex-Clinton people.
Dennis A. Lederle

The President has to show the plan in writing to all to digest.

Then answer the questions that are most important to the taxpayers on how much it will cost and what are the pluses and minuses.

J. Rapach

Maybe if Congress had to pay for their first class insurance they receive they would get off their butts and help the people we put in office. I pay 1/3 of my SS for health care and it isn't right. I voted for Obama in hopes he would help the seniors more but he doesnt care either. Mr. President you need to realize the US has more seniors ever and more on the way. I know it was before your time but after 2nd. world war many women became mothers and now here we are with no money to get us by because we lost most of it in the market and health care takes the biggest chunk and god for bid if we did get really sick. Shame on the US for allowing our goverment officials to have first class coverage for the rest of their lives and to hell with the rest of us.I see a great problem with this.

Bill Novelli and the President actually said nothing specific in this. The President has already mentioned on "Meet the Press" that the MedAvantage programs such as secure Horizens have done nothing to improve the health of seniors. I think that many seniors do not realize that the MedAvantage programs are costing 12% more per person and that the money is sent directly to the private, publicly traded insurance companies. United Health care is one of the 2 most profit making insurance companies and AARP actively sells its programs to seniors. It is wrong that the money (taxes and premiums) we spend on health care goes to shareholders. We need all of our money to go back to traditional medicare so that it can be improved. We need one prescription drug program so that seniors can bargain with the pharmaceutical companies to reduce costs. AARP is selling us to corporate America on health care. Repeal the Medicare Modernization act of 2003 NOW.

Pucker up Bill, and give him a big kiss.

I am a little tired of AARP focusing on only Medicare individuals. I am only 53 years old and I need healthcare reform right now for my son and me. My son is only 31 years old and he is one of the many uninsured in this country. Those with Medicare should feel lucky they have some sort of insurance, there are way too many uninsured in this country. The medicare population right now paid in on this in a completely different environment of the 50s and prior when our dollars went a heck of a lot further than they do today. If AARP was only going to focus on Medicare issues, why did they lower their age limit? Please remember your whole membership here.

I fear for the people of our great country as we move toward socialized medicine. I worked many years in the medical field, not only as a nurse but as an instructor and director of several programs. One only needs to look at the state of medical care being dispersed in the VA hospitals, a government run medical program, to quake in their boots.
Major cardiac surgery in the private sector requires an average of five days or less, the VA system requires twenty days or more. I do not see that as an efficient way to use tax payer’s money or benefit the patient. As everyone knows the longer your hospital stay the greater your chance of getting a nosocomial infection (a hospital induced infection). Today with MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a strain of staph that's resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it. MRSA can be fatal) so rampant an extended hospitalization is not recommended
Before we give away our right to full and reasonable health care, the program that is introduced should be carefully scrutinized by those who it will affect.

I've never heard, during the campaign, or after, Prez Obama speak with any concern, about seniors' needs. Health care, employment, Social Security, Medicare, housing, nothing! Once, AARP was considered the most powerful lobby in the US. Alas, no longer. It has become impotent, a parroting of the administration currently in power. We need to use our numbers to fight for our issues, in a united, comprehensive fashion, or we face what we deserve, no representation. Maybe we need someone other than Novelli.

WHAT EXACTLY WAS SAID??? I DID NOT FEEL LIKE MUCH AT ALL WAS SAID. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS THE WRONG ANSWER. WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HOME FOLKS AND NOT PUTTING ALL THIS MONEY OUT ON ILLEGAL FOLKS THAT ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF US TAX PAYING PEOPLE AND DRAINING US DRY. WHERE IS THE COMMEN SENSE THAT GOD GAVE US AND WHEN ARE THE PEOPLE GOING TO START USING THAT COMMEN SENSE.

I have been a nurse for 40 years! Executive Director of Assisted Living & Alzheimer facilities for 25 years. In Fl. when you are the Administrator you are legally responsible for your residents & good health care is included. I have witnessed horrific care to the elderly through HMO & Medicare Advantage Plans. These companies are out for profit, not the health care of those entrusted to their care.
We must bring back Medicare as it was originally intended to do!

I simply don't understand why we cannot use Europe or Canada as a model for Universal Health Care. If anyone wants a comparison all they have to do is watch the documentary Sicko. I do realize alot

of pressure is brought to bear from Big Pharma and the AMA. From my knowledge, Universal Health Care is far more efficient and less costly. When will our best interest be placed ahead of big money for the Pharmaceutical companies, and the AMA. Why is it necessary to reinvent the wheel.

I believe Mr Novelli and President Obama are slightly hinting at more individual accountability for our own health. Medicare and Medicare fraud spending is so out of control, the only solution is a team approach where medical providers and the individaul recipients are going to have to work as a team toward preventing medical conditions instead of treating them all with drugs and surgeries. Bring it on! We will all benefit from this dose of reality. It's far better for the long-term instead of thinking there is a free lunch when one retires. Life is a journey and full of education all the way to the end.

The travesty is that Bill Novelli promotes his personal agenda while representing himself as "speaking for 40 million AARP members."

When were we asked? What is the survey data that supports his claim?

The reality is that few seniors I know agree with government intergenerational wealth transfer schemes. We don't want our children and grandchildren saddled with the mountains of debt our government is incurring. We want what's best for THEIR futures... and selfishly grabbing for all the "benefits" we can in our golden years isn't what we're about.

I am amazed that the AARP that is expected by us to be the advocate for the retired would get in bed with the socialist and throw the retired off the bus. The stimulus package will ultimately cost the untimely death of millions of Americans through means testing, if you are to old you won't get the medical care you need, thus you die, in pain. I can't wait till the actual health care package comes around, it should be a nightmare. Wait we won't see it, it will be approved by Congress and signed by the President with no person getting a chance to see what is in it, just like the Stimulus Package. I have never seen the government do anything as well as the common American citizen can through his/her ingenuity, intellect, skill and sweat.

Bill Novelli, you work for us, you serve us, please perform the task you have been trusted with. Steve

A translation of Hippocrates, in his Epidemics, is quoted "As to diseases, make a habit of two things, TO HELP, or, at least, TO DO NO HARM". Misters Obama and Novelli are very adroit in the political arena. Unfortunately, the decisions they impact in Health Care affect real people, not one-up-manship in opposing political ideology.
Before pushing us further into socialized medicine, before funding Medicare payments for illegal aliens, before increasing costs for American taxpayers and voters, implement sound fiscal and medical policies with oversight. We need AARP and the politicians TO DO NO HARM AND HELP US.

Here's the deal. If members of Congress, Senate...etc, in other words our elected officials, all had to depend on the working class's way of life meaning retirement (Social Security), Health Care and wages we earn then I guarantee all would be fixed. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to name your wage, vote in your own raises and set up your own health care and retirement? It is time for the taxpayers to be the ones to set the standard of living for our elected officials. After all, the work for us and not the other way around.

I think Mr Novelli should have said that health care for all is important, but it is equally important that seniors do not lose benefits and doctors and hospitals get reimbursed fairly. For medicare to cut benefits in order to free up money for the uninsured is not acceptable Also If doctors and hospitals do not get reimbursed fairly, they will not want to service seniors and we will become second class citizens in our older years - not acceptable. I would like to activate the gray panthers to protect our interests.
A means test for higher medicare premium, if done properly, might be accepatable.

Bill did not say anything meaningful. Last week I read where a major Pharmacy Company is PAYING OFF two Generic Pharmacy companies to not produce generic drugs that they could legally make due too expiration of patients. If BHO wants to fix something and AAPR wants to help why don't they attack that problem.

Why didn't he question that kind of activity?

Wow, what a wide spectrum of opinions in these comments. From those believing they are entitled to free medical care - paid by others - to those who believe that only with private insurance will they be able to live forever.

Novelli and Obama both understand that our healthcare problems extend well beyond just the cost and services to Medicare recipients. Any solution must be passed by a majority in this country - I believe there are more voters under 65 than over 65. Get real in your expectations, and get ready to accept compromises - or we will stay right where we are.

Having paid the full price of private insurance for the last 9 years, it was a financial windfall when I finally qualified for Medicare this January. Buying (it was free) the AARP Secure Horizon Medicare Advantage plan I even got a free membership in the YMCA thru the Silver Sneaker program. During those 9 years I would have loved to buy into the Medicare program.

From what I read - with all the problems with our financial institutions, including (life) insurance companies - Medical insurance companies are doing just fine. You and I are paying for that.

Hospitals and doctors have to deal with dozens of insurers - with different policies and mountains of paperwork. Wouldn't having just one insurer (Universal Health/One Payer system) greatly reduce the costs for providers?

Just as there is a trend in this country for employers to do away with traditional pension plans (due to cost), there also is a trend to reduce benefits in a private health insurance plan, or do away with the plan alltogether (due to the high costs). Due to their higher cost structures US companies are not able to compete with foreign companies (look at the car companies) - jobs are leaving this country.

While there are many individuals who can afford private insurance -
THIS COUNTRY AS A WHOLE CANNOT AFFORD TO CARRY THE COST BURDEN OF PRIVATE INSURANCE.
(Can you hear the lobbyists screaming?)

We are a long ways from perfection. I Believe in God in Man. Without god man can do nothing. Just do as the bible says and wait on god. If we make a move before gods time then we just bare it and be the best we can. I believe one day god will reign in all of us and evil will be in the pit. Foregive my shrewd'ness, I am a dreamer and a believer.

P.S. God tells us how to be with one another and when that happens I believe we won't have health issues. There is a country were people just go for health issues and money is not the issue.

I am 70 years old. All I hear is $250K or less... well I used to be in the upper middle class. I am now in the poor, poor class at $20K a year yet I can not receive help. Dr's are telling me they will not accept Medicare because they do not get decent pay. What am I supposed to do lie down and die so someone that does not have a job can get the sevices I can not get? Why should I be taxed to cover someone elses bad choices? I worked hard during my life. I paid my taxes. Why can't I be treated with dignity? Because I own my home I can not get help. CEO Bill Novelli did the poorest representation of the people who depend on him. He gets a great salary why should he worry about us? Congress and the President should have to have the same insurance we have, boy would things change then!!! Just like the President's illegal alien Aunt is not being deported. Something has to be done about the illegal aliens. Companies are firing their personnel and hiring illegal aliens in their place. What has U.S.A become??? I know no one will read this and nothing will come of it, but at least I tried.

I fear government will mess up my care at a time when I need it very much. I like my Medicare and Medicaid the way it is. If it is changed, my budget will be really compromised. I don't know what I would cut. Food stamps do not last all month, even with help from church and Salvation Army food bank, we still use some of my check for food each month.
Please leave my health care alone.

It is my belief as a health administrator, that the only way to make universal health care work is to go with a single payor plan...covering prevention in the younger years so as to cover the more expensive care and medications of aging people. Medicare has some good features but its low rates to physicians and the unworkable Plan D for medications need to be reformed (some of the medications cost $400 per prescription and the "donut hole" looms quickly in the year). Also mental health needs to be a high priority in the discussion. A great deal can be saved in the physical health care costs if mental issues are addressed. I believe that the congressional health care plan, Veteran's health, and Medicaid and Medicare all need to be included in this reform planning. Not all of the administration needs to be done at the Federal level, some of it can be delegated to the state and county government. This will allow better knowledge of local issues and integration with Public Health. It is exciting to think what we might do to develop a plan that recognizes the right of every citizen to receive excellent health care.

I was absolutely appalled by Novelli's lack of strong statements regarding what his "constituents" are so desperately in need of, and to aggressively disagree with Obama's plan to cut Medicare costs!! What kind of representation is this, and why do I waste my time filling out the emails that AARP sends to me to send to my representatives to ask for what we need regarding adequate health care??? I think Obama himself was unimpressed with Novelli's statements. It was written all over his face. I'm 69 yrs. old, had to go on disability 12 years ago (waiting more than 3 years to apply for it, using my retirement savings in the meantime). It has been nothing but a nightmare ever since. The rip-offs from the insurance companies for medicare supplement policies is simply criminal. My policy is increased every year, and now I'm paying almost $200/mo. Plan D has been a financial disaster for me, since I qualified for PAPs prior to this fiasco. Now, even though there are a minimum of PAPs still available, most of them are only available to people who do not have a Plan D policy. Plan D was a real boon to the insurance industry because it gave them another, brand spanking new, insurance policy to sell to us seniors. Not only that, but they also were given the ability to dictate, through their formularies, what medications would be available to us, what level medications would be on (the higher the level, higher the cost of the Rx), how many pills we would be allowed in a 30, 60, 90 day period, regardless of the fact that our doctors prescribed a larger amount. I could write a book on this one! I recently had to find a new doctor because the wonderful M.D. that I had had for the past 10 years move to another state. I did my research and found the best doctors in my area who could treat my health issues, and began to make calls to the doctor's on the list I came up with. Out of approximately 12 doctors, 8 of them do not accept Medicare patients. I blame the government for this because they refuse to pay them what they are worth. THAT is why office visits, for example, have increased. In order to get a decent amount of money from Medicare, the doctors merely raise their rates. Now the government wants to reduce even further the amount they pay doctors. That means that only the wealthy will be able to afford the best medical care because more and more doctors will not accept Medicare patients.

Someone mentioned we should closely monitor our medical bills and look for fraud. That's a real joke. My mother was very ill and was in the hospital. When the bill came from the hospital, I was shocked at the blatant fraud on that invoice. It was a full 2 pages of charges for a hospital stay that was less than 24 hours, and included several types of narcotic drugs, which my mother is deathly allergic to. It was impossible for her to have been given what they claimed, among other things. I did call the Medicare fraud line and the apathy was disgusting. I was told to phone the hospital and dispute the charges, which I did. All they did was lie about everything. In fact, my mother had a female doctor at the time, but they gave me the name of "her doctor", a male, and told me to take it up with him. I called Medicare again and was told that they had already paid the hospital and doctors for my mother's care. I was shocked at the cavalier way this blatant fraud was handled. Novelli has absolutely no realistic idea of what we low-income seniors, especially those of us who cannot work for extra income, are going through, how we are being ripped-off over and over again. Instead of penalizing the victims, we seniors, they should go to the source of all the scams and financial waste - the government itself (e.g. Medicare fraud, Plan D, unrealistic payments to doctors), and the greedy insurance companies.

Until the control of our health care is taken away from the profiteers led by the drug companies, health care will never be affordable!
The government supports the money makers, mainly through the FDA, because they can afford the lobbyists and million dollar fees, while innovative doctors and other health professionals who discover and use effective and cost efficient health care ideas are hounded, dragged through the courts, and driven out of business for daring to put patient welfare before corporate profits.
This has been going on for over a century, and some of the most amazing and beneficial discoveries have been ploughed under. Just Google the Rife machine by Dr. Royal Rife for a perfect example.

Many MDs know of more natural, less costly and effective remedies, but will not mention them to patients because they are terrified of the government persecution that will take away their license if they do not tow the official line.
Makes you wonder if the Nazis are not alive and well and running the FDA.

The FDA has banned natural substances like red yeast rice in a potency that is effective against cholesterol, while pushing the same substances synthetically produced by the drug companies to make huge profits. They even want to ban Vitamin C and other centuries old traditional remedies and health support items !

Take for instance Stevia, a plant from South America that is a natural sweetener, Celestial Seasonings were told they could not use it in some of their teas. Now Coca Cola and Pepsi are selling a sweetener made with one of the compounds found in Stevia, with the blessing of the FDA - and raking in huge profits.
Until the welfare of the people is put before the profit of the corporations, affordable health care will remain a dream!

The AARP should support a rigorous house cleaning in government and get us back to the original "by the people, for the people". Right now those people seem to be the corporations and the ruling few, certainly not us.

Ed

Let's look at this from a financial standpoint. No matter how much money we plow into a national health plan it's never going to serve us as personal relationships with our doctors. In every country that has adopted socialized health care we find diffiencies in the number of doctors, nurses and just everyday care. Long waits, minimal attention to long standing illnesses, and priority shifting in the perceived needs of the patient get pushed aside. Why would a doctor practice for state mandated prices when they can get more from a private practice?

My suggestion is a sliding scale for medical programs. Continue to have private practices, HMO's and other medical programs with the financial responsibility of the "nationalized" medical programs to help pay a percentage of the costs proportional to the persons income levels and job offered medical plans. In other words, if you already have a medical plan provided by your employer, then you would not have same availablity for help as someone who doesn't have a medical plan. The person who doesn't have access to a medical plan via work, could petition the government for subsidized help. The government could consolidate medical plans into a group medical plan which could offer lower rates to those who have no medical plan through other means. Furthermore, those who meet the requirements for medical subsidation could acquire membership in the government "group" medical plan and if needed get help to pay for fees.

Bill Novelli’s comment was generic and rather bland. He was just going through the motion.
President Obama appeared to be struggling to find an answer but failed, which is not too surprising. There cannot be a response to a non-existent statement.

Please AARP, cease to pussyfoot your way around and really become the voice of the seniors you are supposed to represent. America’s health care system is a disgrace; those who have worked and paid all their life deserve to receive the care benefits they are entitled to. This country must stop squandering into useless ventures or wars the funds which belong to others. Basic medical care and drugs at a reasonable price is a MUST for seniors, and it is needed TODAY, not tomorrow.
That comment extends to the medical care of veterans who are shamelessly discarded upon return.

Wealthy senior citizens would also be asked to pay higher premiums for Medicare drug coverage, similar to the higher premiums they now pay for physician visits, according to the Obama blueprint.

The budget figures also represent significant shifts in how the United States will pay for medical care.
For example, experts have identified hospital readmissions -- especially for elderly patients -- as a sign of poor care and unnecessary expense. About 18 percent of Medicare patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of an original visit. The new approach would establish flat fees for the first hospitalization and 30 days of follow-up, sometimes done by separate facilities. Hospitals or clinics with high readmission rates could be paid less

Hey Barry

Is AARP going to fight this or lay down for Obama? More income-related testing coming.

George

Thank you President Obama for following through with your campaign promise to air publicly information gathering sessions on health care reform.

I look forward with gratitude to the day when health care is available to all.

As a former health care worker, I know this will be possible--through careful well thoughout changes.

We have all contributed in some way to this health care madness; and now we will just have to roll up our sleeves, bear the pain and work together to put a healthcare system in place for everyone -- single payer. Let's stop the fingerpointing, whining about the fear of socialism and get the job done! We have had eight years of scare tactics -- that's enough. Roll up your sleeves and go to work by doing whatever you can to help.

Novelli, along with the rest of the staff at AARP, are merely Obama
puppets. It is time that a real solution was sought. Many of us were planning on Medicare as a "supplement" to our company health insurance. Then, (and I'm sure a lot of you have seen this), just
prior to my retirement, Retirees were dropped from the company
insurance. Now, it is pay, literally through the butt, for some
private insurance, or rely wholly on Medicare and a supplement.
Between me and my wife, I now have to pay some $500. per month for
far less coverage than I would have had. And they call these the
"Golden Years".. After paying for SS and the rest for all those years, it is really difficult to get from check to check....and with
all the welfare folks the government is covering, we probably won't have insurance long enough to take us to the grave
1. Get the Illegals and lazy welfare collectors off the Insurance,
unless they do what we did......work and pay into it.
2. Look at Europe and Canada.....UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE DOES NOT WORK!!, and never will
3. Quit robbing SS & Medicare to cover stupid PORK projects, like
saving a wetlands mouse........
4.BE LIKE THE REST OF US.....LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS.....IF YOU DON'T
HAVE IT.....DON'T SPEND IT......MY KIDS AND GRAND KIDS, AND GREAT
GRAND KIDS CANNOT AFFORD WHAT YOU WANT TO DO........

The vast majority of the comments posted echo my own worst fears. First of all, our best interests are not being addressed or fought for my AARP or our elected representatives because they neither truly are dedicated to the real people. Its politics as usual. Its ripping down what works for many to address the needs of others. Instead of taking away my comprehensive health insurance and relative choice, you are trying to make the government my only source and government can not do thinsg well. I am amazed that voters clamour for government help and services but yell about the quality of government workers all the time. Do you want a bureaucracy controlling your access to health care? Do you want your earned benefits to be reduced to support others or should they truly create an environment for the economy to grow and for healthcare to be afforable because more are able to afford it (instead of being given it).

AARP is trying to put forth the effort to secure what we have and Medicare is the best insurance policy we have when you hit your seventies so quit complaining and support the people who are speaking for the seniors. One voice will not change anything so support what is going on to preserve the medicare system and social security as we have it. Soc. Sec is not broke as you are led to believe it is solvent

The only way real health care reform will occur is to take in out of "privatized interests" hands and place it in the Fed's hands.

As long is there is a way to make a profit from privatized medical care, drugs production/distribution, the cost will be whatever that corporation can get away with and charge to the lower and middle classes.

We have the Medicare and Medicaid system in place. We just need to expand it to cover all citizens.

When you have attended as many DC "Beltway" conferences as I have you can recognize mediocre minds in a flash. They must say something - to assuage their frail egos by being recognized - and after all their gobbledygok falls out - they have said NOTHING!! I therefore pose the simple questions for all AARP members to ponder - is Bill Novelli really the best Leadership that AARP can provide its members? Or is Bill Novelli the only Leadership that AARP can provide its members? We are NOT going to solve the complex problems that we have with AARP Leadership a la Bill Novelli.

Bonnie took the words right out of my mouth. My father and mother were both in the hospital at different times and I checked their chart board on the door. I asked if Dr. Soinso was in today and she said, no. Was Dr. Soinso in today? She said no. How about Dr. Soinso? She said, NO!!! I asked!! What is their name doing on the chart for if they haven't seen you today???? This is where our Social Security is going!!! We need accountable people running our health care system. Doctors shouldn't have a golden pen to write their own paycheck. By the way, What kind of lame question was it that Bill was asking. Obama acted like he was too embarrased to answer it.

If there is any possible way that the US congress also know as the culture of corruption can screw up healthcare in the US anymore than it already is they will do so like they have screwed up everything else in this country.

There is no way that the 535 members of the US congress can create any meaningful legislation that is based on common sense ethics and basic integrity. They are all bought and paid for by the health insurance underwriters and the drug manufacturers. The Democrats are as bad as the Republicans. If you somehowe tghin k otherwise you are basically uninformed and otherwise clueless

Patricia Brink, I agree with you 100%. AARP does not speak for me either. I did not vote for Mr. Obama, as I knew in my heart that this was what was on the horizon. If we only knew what is ahead of us. When the government takes over our lives and dishes out what it deems we need, then maybe, we as a nation will take stock in all the crooks in Washington, and use our vote to replace them. That is, if that freedom is still available. Yes, we need some kind of health system that is not corrupt, but please, let the doctors take care of us, not some CEO of an insurance company, nor some bureaucrat in Washington. We also, expected transparancy, has we were told in a campaign speech, and now that is gone by the wayside. When are we going to wake up. Everybody, it seems, is wanting a hand-out. What happened to good old work and get paid for it. Yes, people have lost their jobs, but that too stems from someone somewhere being greedy, and not caring about anyone else.

Nobody is addressing the quickest way to reduce health costs. Eliminate spending on unnecessary drugs. Preventive & diagnostic medicine can significantly reduce the need for such drugs as Statins, NSAIDS, blood pressure & diabetes drugs. Example - Why should elderly take statins when they don't have plaque buildup over 50 - 60 years. They won't live long enough for a problem to occur. Stop drug companies from direct advertising to consumer & forcing Doctors to prescribe unnecessary drugs just to CYA. Diet, exercise and preventative medicine is enough. Don't yield to "Big Pharma" lobbyists.

Please, Please, I do not want to be hard hearted BUT, we MUST learn to take care of ourselves BEFORE we take care of the rest of the world. If we only took care of the taxpayers, we would be fine. When will we learn? AND-- we NEED to put our legislators on the same plans we are on. THAT alone would have it solved real soon.

After hearing Bill Novelli and looking at the earlier comments, all I can say is that, for the most part, we need a vigorous discussion among the citizenry to educate ourselves about a very complex issue so that we understand and hopefully are able to influence and accept the outcome.

The AARP Organization should concentrate on maintaining the well-fare of elderly persons and retired persons (those over 65 who are really retired from their capbilities to re-enter the workforce) rather than sailing off on programs to Reform Our Whole HealthCare system which at this stage of the Obama Administration pronouncements sounds like a taking from the elderly and really retired by pressure on Medicate to give to some new expansion of coverage for younger people who should be working and saving to provide something for their own healthcare. AARP should concentrate on the well-fare of the elderly and retired and not on political programs that look like they will hurt those groups.

Simple is best.

Bill
RIGHT ON!
Al

I regret having to write a comment that puts it so simply as regards AARP - like so much of the rest of the nation, AARP no longer works! It is broken. When I became a member 21 years ago, I considered AARP was there, in part, to promote the interests and concerns of those of us over 50. I am now 71 and AARP is a major disappointment. I am not certain who AARP purports to represent, but it is not seniors. Seniors need an active lobby in Washington to represent senior needs. I have been a member for 21 years, but I will not support an organization that has lost its purpose and is operating in the dark. It is not only a sham it is a shame. The added "e" is not for effort. I, for one, will boycott AARP until such time as the organization returns to the priorities of seniors. Where and when did you folks at AARP run off the track? (I am sure this is another wasted message - it likely has already been deep-sixed by those who draw their livelihood from those of us who pay our dues.)

My daughter went to a Greek island for a vacation last year. While she was there, she developed a very bad ear infection. They have universal health care for everyone, so her friend took her to the emergency room. They saw her in less than 1 hour and referred her to an ear specialist, who's office was just down the street. She went straight over to the ear specialist and was seen right away. He examined her and gave her a prescription. She then went to the pharmacy, which was just down the street again, and got her prescription filled, which only cost her $12.00.

All of this was done in less than 3 hours and her ear infection was taken care of. She had to fly home a couple of days later and if she hadn't gotten the medical treatment she did, she would never have been able to fly home as scheduled. This same medical care is not available for someone visiting in this country and it would have taken hours and probably days to receive it and the cost would have been staggering.

I don't understand why we can't have the same medical care that she got in another country? Everyone should be entitled to medical care like this for their entire life, yet most of us don't have it and can't afford it. We need to see what makes this work in other countries and do the same thing here.

At the present time, I'm retired, receiving social security, but not old enough for Medicare, and I don't have any health insurance. I just can't afford it, living on a fixed income. I worked hard all my life and now I can't go see a doctor because of the cost. I guess if I get sick, I'll have to take a trip to a country where medical coverage is available for all. This is not how it should be in a country like ours, but it is the sad truth. Greed rules this country and until that changes, nothing will get better.

AMEN to James Agnew's comments!

The cart is before the horse. We need to close our borders to illegal immigrants who are sapping our health, education, and social services dollars. Then we need to get rid of the fraud taking place in our medical systems. After that we might not find our health costs so expensive.

Universal health care just means implementing Canada's socialized system which has been a disaster, for which they are paying a 15% sales tax in addition to their regular sales tax of close to 15%. Why bother working? I worked and saved many years for my health insurance and I don't want the government negating my coverage so that they can give it to someone who did not work/spent every nickel that touched their fingers. Government intervention will just mean more fraud and waste than there is now.

Whatever is or is not done, every government employee including the president, congress, and supreme court should have to participate in the plan that the general public does. Furthermore, with so many out of work, congress should rescind their self indulgent raise this year, buy private health insurance themselves, and get pensions based on their years of service when they retire from the government.

I will not contribute or support AARP as long as they support Obama's socialized plans.

I can't say any of this better than the great comments above! Very good job by those folks! Reaching 65 is no longer a cause for joy! The gov't HAS to find a way to reduce the costs of health care - many of the comments above have ideas on that and I share/agree with all of them.

We NEED folks living on limited income to make the decision about this problem. The fat cats in Govt cannot understand the problems we face.

Govt employees HAVE to be on the same programs as the rest of us - that will result in fixes that work!!

In response to all those who flatly denounce the very idea of a national single-payer system for health care: 1) not only does virtually every other developed country in the world have such a system, but there is not one single nation among these where - if it were put to a vote - that national system would be discarded (and from personal knowledge I know that includes Canada and the UK, even with whatever shortcomings are acknowledged); people complaining about costs and coverages with HMOs and Medicare-supplementary coverages from private companies should remember they have their Republican legislators to thank for the dogmatic insistence that only private enterprise can do a good job and government operations are rife with inefficiency and bloat, which led to the legislation that has us taxpayers paying to subsidize those private companies while their cost-per-patient actually runs higher than Medicare's (and this despite the fact that Medicare's older constituency inevitably requires more medical care than the private companies' wider age range of patients); I've been dealing with the Medicare and Social Security bureaucracies that get so much criticism for 14 years now and I'm constantly amazed at their politeness and (yes) efficiency. As for fraud - some human beings will always try to game any system - government or private - and other human beings can, with diligence and intelligence, keep it to a minimum.

It seemed to me that Bill Novelli tried to be respectful of the President, to sound responsible and competent as the representative of AARP's membership, and to be available and useful as the dialog goes forward on this VERY TOP ISSUE. That respondents can condemn him for his initial comments (as I've described above) and question shows a lack of thought, tact, and savvy. I'd prefer to see if Bill N. can develop credibility with our new President, and thereby represent us when and where it counts.

Throwing stones on the Internet is part of the problem, not close to a solution. President Obama and his aides will figure out quickly whom to listen to; I hope Bill Novelli will be included in the group they pick.

I am a victim of multiple serious illnesses. I will reach the donut hole by July. I've just been told that drug samples will no longer be available from my doctor's office. In July, my monthly drug costs will be more than my Social Security check. Shall I head for the nearest high bridge?

I'm really confused by everyone bashing the video - I think you miss the point. There are a lot of people President Obama could have called to that meeting and a lot of people he could have called upon.

AARP was there - to me that says that they are a part of this discussion and they're in the mix. There's a lot of organizations that don't get brought to the table. You can agree or disagree with a lot of things, but I think it is a good sign that the organization is talking DIRECTLY with the President. There's not a lot of people who can say that.

Now who knows what AARP will ultimately support or oppose as health reform heats up. But it does seem good to me that they are recognized by the Obama folks as having a big and powerful constituency.

OK, enough is enough. I am a 57-year old widow. I was forced to go out on disability retirement from a community college. Being state funded, I didn't pay into social security wages for 7 years. I have more than enough credits to collect social security, but social security law says that out of the last 10 years, 5 must have been paid into the social security wage system. I cannot collect my late husband's social security because my benefit WOULD have been more than his. So I am forced to live on my PERS retirement of $702 a month, out of which comes $575.25 for my health insurance. You do the math. Not much to live on, is it? However, I earn TOO much money to get help with food stamps, housing or any other program. What kind of a country do we live in? I have worked all my life and face the possibility of living on the street. Why? Because I have to pay for health care. It's not even that great of a plan. I still have copays, meds and other things to pay myself. I'm sick to death of legislators telling me they understand my problem. They understand NOTHING.

Why does AARP continue to support and praise Obamas reform. The Budget just cut medicare and ultimately the retired will pay more and get less coverage.

but as long as AARP sells its own insurance to us and keeps getting your dues, they don't care either.

are you joking

AARP by praising Obamas health reform ( while it is costing you more for less) is clearly showing it just wants your dues and to sell you some supplementary insurance.........

Save your money for future medical costs that Obama is causing.

Nationalzed health care means limited health care. Doctors and hospitals can not afford to remain open on what medicare pays them. That means fewer doctors, fewer hospitals and long lines. Study the problems Canada is having. Why do many Canadains get treatment in the US? Because our system is better!

I didn't hear Mr Novelli say or press for anything.He had the chance to really open up, he had the Presidents undivided attention.He needed to restate some of the agenda on what is happening to the seniors, the ones that took their turn at working and building this nation and now can't afford to get medical help & prescriptions.

I work for 22 years in the US Army so my family and I could have health insurance for life, Now that i am on medicare with tricare for life, the first thing they want to do is cut medicare to take care of those that did nothing to see to it that they had health insurance for there family... That seems like the American way doesn't it. Take from those that support themself and give to the ones that do nothing but hold there hand out...

Very trying times to say the least. Our HMO Health Insurance coverage changed very drastically this uear. We pay $20.00 Copay per doctor visit, if we go to accute care we pay $75.00 Copay (last year it was $20.00), if we go to hospital emergency room we pay $150 Copay (last year it was $75.00). If we have same day surgery we pay the first the first $500.00 (last year it was $0.00), if we go the hospital we pay the first $2500 (last year it was $1250). We have prescription Coverage and pay a Copay of $20.00 (Generics) & $30.00 (name brand drugs). This is terrible for low and middle income famillies having to pay these costs. I am all in favor of having one plan for all people (National Coverage through the government) it works for other countries why not us? I am glad AARP is involved, but AARP is in the insurance business also and this bothers me.

Money is not the answer to our problems. The answer is the people who make up our democracy. We are a nation of greed, inmorality, false information, deceit, drug activities, lawlessness, etc. Our UNCLE SAM our peer of democracy is in pretty bad shape. Until we the people go back to the golden rules, only GOD knows what our destiney is.

Jim Riordan says:

what are you smoking Bill?
All proposals somehow think that Medicare is the starting point. Healthcare providers are paid $0.40 to $0.60 cents of cost by Medicare. If they couldn't shift this gross underpayment to the private sector health plans Medicare would die tomorrow.

You and the President think we're going to "squeeze providers a little" After you're done squeezing there won't be anyone in your Dr's office to care for you --- they'll have left to be retrained for a new profession not subjected to this naive,irrational and uninformed thinking.

A single payer system for everyone is the only way to go. It would save billions of dollars in paper work, save many lives, and the government could go to the market and bargain for drugs.
If you haven't read " A State of Confusion " by Dr. Bryant Welch ",zzzzzzI urge you to do so. He says that the notion that competition between insurance companies is going to give the best coverage and keep costs down in misleading.
I have been happy with medicare, though I have to buy a suppliment which is costly. The doctors are getting tired of getting low-balled by medicare, however, and many are refusing to see new medicare patients.

we have so many who voted for the president(seniors) because of the tax package for seniors earning under $ 50,000 in which will stimulate economy 9 billion dollars every year. please mr.president don't turn your back on us now.we worked all of our lives for this. frank millin

After reading through all of the gripes and rhetoric and complaining, I read very few suggestions from fellow memebers. So get back on track and offer ideas or solutions! Here are mine.
Reward those who maintain good health through watching their diets, physical exercise and good living practices. These people save the system money. The reward could be in the form of increased monthly SS benefits or an annual rebate.
Education is also key to good health, so offer free classes on nutrition and exercise.
Have drug companies donate a portion of their profits to help those less fortunate who suffer.(It would be their contribution during these economic down times and would only be offered to those with incomes below $25K.)
Reward the actual Healthcare worker with higher mandated wages by reducing admisistrative salaries and bonuses.(Get rid of the "Corporate mentality" of over-rewarding the Upper tier of management). When healthcare workers are valued, they will pass on to patients more caring and thus speed recovery.
Start a healthcare volunteer program for anyone over the age of 60. This could apply to home visits, assisting in hospitals and /or nursing homes. This volunteer program could be rewarded by free college, annual rebate or additional SS benefits.
There is not enough money to give everyone everything, so let's support the President and the fact that this subject is finally being addressed. It will be a work in progress and benefit many people, especially children, the future of us and our country.

I heard neither a clear position on, nor a recommendation for, health care policy stated by Novelli. All he really said was we need to listen to the people, his members of AARP, and presumably all others. Thanks for that, I guess.
What Novelli should have said is that his members do not want government controlled health care. The AARP membership, for the most part, probably has some kind of health care coverage and, for the most part, wants to keep it. The only insight I heard from Obama was that "they" (AARP members?) "..want it for cheaper..." (sic) That would be a good outcome.
What Novelli should have said on that point ("...want it for cheaper...") is that the way to get there is to let the free market function freely. There is no doubt that the free market has done a better job of managing many enterprises than has the government. As examples, I will cite the US Postal Service, The Social Security program, the Medicare program, and the US education program. Each one of those government programs desperately needs to improve its financial condition or performance, or both. Novelli should have said we want a free market based system, not a government controlled health care system.
Thank you.

It is my belief that in order to bring health benefits and not increase costs we must bring natural medicine into medicare. Many of us are, when we can afford, use natural therapies because it pays in the long run. A recent report published in Europe showed once again that natural medicines can bring significant health and economic gains http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=35&storycode=4121906&c=2

Oboma is out of control, and he says one thing but does another. As much as i would like everyone to have health care but who will be paying for it. the tax payer. His plan puts to much in the hand s of the government. and i oppose that.

Once again Bill said nothing.

aarp might get a little more attention if it's 40 million members let their legislators know what we need. looks like to me that only about 250,000 wrote to those who need to hear our voices. not even we can agree on a solution.so,the government has to start somewhere. everyone needs to get involved and maybe the solutions will be better than what we have now.as smart as our generation is we might even be able to make suggestions that would reduce the cost of medicare. can't hurt to try but it does hurt to keep quiet.

It is obvious from comments here that Private Insurance companies have totally succeded in brainwashing people in this country to believe we have the best system in the world. How come nobody else is copying us?

Canadians don't come here for medical care because our system is better. A few of them come here because they have the money to go anywhere in the world paying out of pocket for their care. Can you afford that? If you can, you don't need insurance or Medicare or AARP.

My impression is that the people on this board are complaining because they can't afford the insurance premiums or the medical care that is available in this country. We already know that medical costs per capita in this country are outrageously higher than in any other country - and we have nothing to show for it, such as longer life or better medical outcomes.

ONLY BY REDUCING OUR OVERALL MEDICAL COSTS WILL WE BE ABLE TO HAVE AFFORDABLE MEDICAL CARE IN THIS COUNTRY.

Medicare is a bargain for anyone over 65 - the costliest group of people to insure. Employers kick employees and retirees off their plans once they reach 65 - can no longer afford to insure them. 96 bucks per month in premium only seems high if you were led to believe "somebody else" would be "taking care of you" in retirement.

IF ALL PREMIUMS FOR PRIVATE INSURANCE WENT TO MEDICARE INSTEAD - WHAT DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE MIGHT HAPPEN TO OUR MEDICARE SYSTEM?

I believe that if all medical premiums went to just one non-profit insurance company (Medicare), there would be enough savings in insurance administration alone to drastically reduce premiums - there would be enough savings in the administration and bill processing in hospitals and doctor offices to allow them to make a buck.

WE HAVE TRIED FOR DECADES, AND BY NOW WE SHOULD KNOW THAT OUR PRESENT SYSTEM IS NOT CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE SOLUTIONS WE NEED - any more than Wall Street was capable of meeting our financial needs.

It should be clear to anyone by now that the system we have in this country is only good for those who do not need insurance - or those who have someone else paying their insurance premiums for them.
FOR THE REST OF US, THIS SYSTEM STINKS.

I believe the solution to our health care cost problem lies in reducing the overall costs of the system - not in finding more money to pay for it.

I am glad AARP has a seat at the table and will represent us - while accepting that this table is not only seeking a solution for the AARP membership - but the entire country.

Mr Novelli as usual said little of value, he is very good at mouthing a few platitudes at these big meetings, and then sitting back and waiting for others to propose what needs to be done. AARP has been campaigning for almost a year for health care reform, but I have never seen any suggestions of what needs to be done. If we are going to write letters to our representatives urging them to fight for health care reform perhaps it would be easier when we talked or wrote them if we had some concrete suggestions on how to do it. The President is putting aside billions for health care, but he also not saying what the changes will be, and that is irresponsible.

I think Mr. Novelli might as well had a tape made. It was strictly a be nice political reply. When is AARP going to start speaking up for retired people. This is what they are supposed to be however AARP never fought the income tax on social security and now will stand by while Obama cuts medicare benefits. When are these people going to get some guts. All they do is sit back and collect a nice salary from dues paying members and are only representing themselves.
No wonder Drs. are not wanting to take medicare patients. You pay for medicare premiums and, in mose cases a med supplement, that cost an arm and leg and now Obamo is going to cut medicare benefits. Maybe he and Novelli should have their benefits withdrawn.

Bill Novell didn't say anything. It's a shame that he missed out on a great opportunity while representing AARP. I am very disappointed. After reading the personal experiences of people submitting their comments, it's disheartening and frightening to hear what's happening to our disabled and elderly. People can't live on what little benefits are given after retirement. When is AARP going to show a stronger force for our elderly?

I really don't believe most AARP members agree with what you claim we want. How about asking for our opinions once in a while in a comment. The way Obama is giving away the money from those of us who are still working is atrocious and I disagree with almost evewrything you claim AARP members want.

I HAVE WORKED IN HEALTH CARE FOR 45 YEARS AS A NURSE IN A HOSPITAL, IN AN HMO, IN A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY. HEALTH CARE REFORM IS A MAMMOTH TASK. RESPONSIBILITY FOR HEALTH CARE SHOULD BE SHARED BY BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT AND THE INDIVIDUAL. ONLY WHEN SOMEONE IS ACCOUNTABLE, FINANCIALLY, WILL PRUDENT DECISIONS REGARDING CARE BE MADE. ANYONE WHO THINKS MEDICARE IS A SYSTEM THAT WORKS AND SHOULD BE EMULATED FOR THOSE UNDER 65, AS A "UNIVERSAL" HEALTH PLAN HAS NEVER SEEN THE INCREDIBLE LEVELS OF BUREACRACY AND WASTE PERPETRATED BY MEDICARE. I HOPE WE ALL STILL BELIEVE IN CAPITALISM, SINCE THIS IS WHAT HAS MADE OUR COUNTRY GREAT. I DON'T THINK BILL OR OTHERS PUSHING UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT THAT ENTAILS. WE HAVE MANY FAMILY MEMBERS IN IRELAND AND ENGLAND. ASK THEM WHY THEY ALL HAVE PRIVATE INSURANCE IF THEY CAN AFFORD IT. IT IS BECAUSE SOCIALIZED MEDICINE MEANS WAITING 2 MONTHS FOR A SPECIALIST WHEN YOU HAVE A LUMP IN YOUR BREAST; 1 1/2 YEARS FOR A BUNIONECTOMY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SO PAINFUL THE PATIENT COULD NOT WALK PROPERLY OR WEAR SHOES. AND LAST, CONSIDER OUR PHYSICIAN COMMUNITY. IF THERE IS UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE AND TOTAL GOVERNMENT CONTROL, THERE IS REALLY LITTLE INCENTIVES FOR PHYSICIANS. UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE IS SOCIALIZED MEDICINE. HAVEN'T WE BEEN EXPOSED ENOUGH TO THE ABUSES OF GOVERNMENT, THE INANE LEVELS OF POWER, AND THE FACT THAT THEY CANNOT REALLY GET ANYTHING RIGHT - DON'T GIVE AWAY HEALTHCARE AS WELL.

We are on the road to nationalized healthcare, nationalized banks and a nationalized auto industry. I don't want to say that we are headed for socialism, but this is a step towards that. I really don't want the government (or a chosen few) to decide what is best for me, and giving me no choice. There is no way that this can be financed by raising taxes on just a small percentage of the population. You will pay more for this, one way or another.

In my opinion, Mr Novelli's answer was a no answer.Perhaps he should have said that he can't answer any question on health reform until he knows what specific reform is on the agenda. Are we talking about the introduction of Universal Health Care and the replacement of Medicare and Medicaid, Medicare Health Plans (HMO'S) and Part D drug plans, etc. Are we talking about Federal gate keepers that will monitor what tests doctors can and cannot authorize because of cost considerations?
If our medical system is that questionable, why do many foreigners come to the U.S., from England, Canada and other countries, for treatment and surgery for a certain illness.
As far as drug costs are concerned, I would favor the Gov't negotiating directly with the pharmaceutical companies, like the V.A.does, to lower drug costs.It's time to end the honeymoon between Congress and the drug companies.

MOST citizens in this country have medical insurance and in reality, virtually everybody still has access to healthcare. They banter about statistics like 50M Americans (16.4%) don't have health insurance. (That means 84.6% ARE insured.) Well, from month to month those 50M are not the same people. The group of "uninsured" are a continuously changing bunch of people. It's been estimated that only 2% of these folks remained uninsured for 24 months or more. So why "reinvent" a healthcare system for the whole nation when only a relatively small proportion actually "need" help. Yeah I know...it's not so much about healthcare as it is about making Big Government bigger, more powerful and more intrusive. But still...this sort of initiative is not what you attempt in a recession economy. We need to examine the failures of Canada and the UK before we dive into this folly. We have a welfare system that is the worst in the western world...so we want to expand it? We have the best healthcare available on the planet...so we ought to change that?

Bill Novelli was totally unprepared and burnt a great opportunity to address the numerous Medicare problems directly to President Obama who was gaving him all his attention. For instance, Mr. Novelli could have suggested that the changes made by Bush be reversed. Ex.: the idiotic "doughnut". At the end of 2008, I was $59 away from having to cover the total amount of my medicines that are outrageously expensive. This, despite the fact I request double prescriptions and cut the pills in 2 whenever possible. Further, too many doctors are discontinuing Medicare because it creates more problems they can deal with. I have had to give up a specialist I had been seeing for years and am not happy with the replacement.
The list is long...

I think the President wasn't asking Bill Novelli for a detailed list of requirements for an ultimate health care plan. Eventually that will come out of future meetings and discussions between AARP and other stake holders. Novelli responded to the president's question by asking him to use his office to explain the pros and cons of alternative solutions to the health care crisis, and I think that was a good suggestion. There will be strong opposition to anything that is finally proposed, and the President will have to sell his ideas to the American Public.

Reading the comments It appears that not many of the respondenbts have studied how other countries handle their health care delivery systems. There are several diffferent systems thoughout the world which should be studied before a final decision is made. Universal health care is funded in many different ways throughout the developed world, PLEASE NOTE IT IS NOT SOCIALISM this is just a scare word usded by the uninformed.

I hope Mr. Novelli likes the idea of socialized medicine because that's where we are heading. Thank Mr. Obama - nonsense, this country can't afford the cost he is proposing or the consequences of universal("free") health care. It was and still is a disaster in the U.K.and their people are flocking to the U.S. for treatment for serious conditions.I am alive today because of our medical system and became close friends with a docter from the U.K. who was having the same procedure. One way or another I have managed to pay for my treatment without resorting to socialized medicine. No thankyou, Mr. Novelli and Mr. Obama can keep their change!

From your comments, I can see many of you, mostly repulicans, do not understand that socialism and communism are two different systems. I suggest you study them carefully before posting your comments.
At this time, if the Government was to nationalize the failing banks and financial institutions, this would probably allow them to survive. The CEO's would no longer be able to help themselves lavishly to YOUR money at the tune of several $billions a year if you add up the amounts. Such savings alone could have protected us from the depth of this crisis.
The auto industry NEEDS TO BE SAVED. Over 10 million jobs are at stake. No matter what the industry may be, nationalization would remove the abusing CEO's who could be replaced by extremely capable executives willing to work for $500,000 to $1,000,000 a year (bonus included). Nice salary! I'm sure there is no shortage of honest and capable people who would welcome such jobs with open arms.
With regard to health care, it cannot be the object of competition between insurance companies that want larger and larger profits all the time. It has to be UNIVERSAL to allow every one the treatment they require when needed. It's inhuman to reject people who cannot afford medical costs and a shame for our country to tolerate this shocking situation.
To the person who claims that the Canadian system does not work, he/she is misinformed. The system is excellent but the problem is a shortage of MD's created by the fact they have a policy of protectionism that does not allow foreign doctors fair practice of their profession in Canada.
As for those of you who fear socialism and communism, that does not happen with the nationalization of a few industries in distress. For Heaven's sake, look at England, Sweden, Holland, Italy, Germany, France, Spain, etc., they are capitalistic societies. Certainly they have "social" programs. They take into consideration that all human beings don't enjoy the same fortune but as long as they live an honest life, all deserve the dignity of decent health care for themselves and their families.
As for those of you who belong to the upper 5% who will have to pay the same percentage of taxes you paid under Reagan, stop complaining. For you who have more than 95% of the people, is it so tough to sacrifice a little for those who lost their homes, their jobs and have no health care? America used to protect its middle class. When did we decide to bury it and become a third world country? Is this what we are becoming?

Bill Novelli was totally unprepared and burnt a great opportunity to address the numerous Medicare problems directly to President Obama who was gaving him all his attention. For instance, Mr. Novelli could have suggested that the changes made by Bush be reversed. Ex.: the idiotic "doughnut". At the end of 2008, I was $59 away from having to cover the total amount of my medicines that are outrageously expensive. This, despite the fact I request double prescriptions and cut the pills in 2 whenever possible. Further, too many doctors are discontinuing Medicare because it creates more problems they can deal with. I have had to give up a specialist I had been seeing for years and am not happy with the replacement.
The list is long...

We (all Americans) should be under Health care that the Congress gets. Why should we have a problem and they just sit back and talk or say its too expensive. We should all be under the same plan.

And stop blaming Obama he just got in and is trying his best.

AARP is in the insurance business with United Health. They make a profit from their business. We should look at the countries that have the best outcomes and healthiest populations. That's France,Canada and the smart countries that have had not-for-profit, single payer systems for many years.
The robber barons in health care are killing us.

As has been documented in studies on this issue, Medicare and other public healthcare programs have proven much better at controlling costs and in promoting improved care than have private insurance plans. We need single-payer national healthcare insurance. This is the best way to control costs while maintaining access to care. By drastically reducing administrative overhead, profit-taking by private insurance companies, and otherwise reducing costs through negotiation leverage, it will enable all Americans to have healthcare coverage for about the same aggregate cost as we pay now for our fragmented system. It will make American businesses more competitive with those in countries that already have national healthcare plans, by freeing those companies of the extra burden of providing healthcare insurance to employees (in addition to paying taxes for existing public programs). Everybody in, nobody out. HR-676 Medicare for All is what we need now. Bill Novelli, please take note.

AARP is simply an insurance agency is a bad choice for President Obama. Single Payer would be the best choice for the USA.

I gave up my membership in AARP with the medicare fiasco and I have no faith that AARP will promote the only viable approach to health care reform - universal/single payer. We have the answer in California, SB840, which has passed our legislature twice but the governor gets too much money from the profitable insurance and drug companies to sign it. AARP is evidently being paid off too. As long as profit is in the formula, true, moral health care will not be possible. Capitalism does not work for all issues. We've given it a good try and it has and is failing us. Why is this so hard to accept???

Medicare deductible is expensive for the elderly. Talking about saving... maybe the attention of the President should be shifted to Medi-Cal... how many kids a person can have year after year or in the case of the octo-mom, 8 at once, and who knows how many twins, triplets, etc are born year after year... also, how many gangs receive emergency treatment and long-rehab for gun shots, accidents etc. ... paid by Medi-Cal and additionally the wide range of welfare programs enjoyed for the most part by young-improductive people... also, how many high level positions a City or County or Federal office can have under the name of " management " many of which the least they do is to manage... less they are interested in utilizing the so called " systems unit " of their budgeted department to figure out more effective ways of automatizing work? President Obama's intention of helping the "average Joe" is noble.. but the problem is that many "average Joes" are parasites... those that never had contributed to this Country but they " qualify " for all kind of " help " because they have nothing, except that they are able to drink beer, buy drugs, eat out, by nikes, cars, etc... but... for us who worked long years, raised a family running around paying sitters, schools ... etc, some went back to college to be a better workers... now in our old age... we are far of being free from worries... worsen by the billions that are being given to the upper class parasites " Wall Street millionares and Banks and their CEO's ". Thank you for the chance to express my frustrations.

Single-payer, HR 676, is the only way to go. It covers every concern. It isn't "some government official making the decisions on your healthcare," as some characterize it; that's left up to you and your doctors. It's GETTING THE INSURANCE COMPANIES OUT OF IT! They deny care so that they will make more money. Everything they pay out on a claim is called, in the industry parlance, a loss. That's right. It's a loss. And a company works hard to minimize loss. An insurance company is not sworn to take care of your health; it has just one obligation, and that is to its stockholders.

HR 676, national single-payer, or expanded and improved Medicare for all, will be cheaper than any of the other plans. And it covers everybody. It will be funded through a low income tax, with NO premiums, NO copays, NO deductibles, NO doughnut holes, NO fine print, NO balances due, NO scores of people hired just to see how they can deny claims in order to save an insurance company money so that the CEOs can walk off with billions. National single-payer isn't socialism; it is publicly funded but privately delivered. The doctors and hospitals stay private. You choose your own caregivers; nobody else does that. Remember that insurance companies, with their networks of participating providers, are the ones who like to do that. The insurance companies decide, for you, what medical care you should receive.

HR 676 also provides for the retraining and re-employment of insurance company employees once the insurance companies are shown the door.

AARP has seriously hurt its members by being in the service of the insurance companies and not backing single-payer.

He needed more info of the real senior's situation and express it clearly to the President.

Bill just went along. He didn't mention the added cost that we have in healthcare after all we paid. Bill has to say to Obama to stop the BULLS_IT because with the support of Pelosi and Reid,the only way we will go is DOWN!!!!!

Bill just went along. He didn't mention the added cost that we have in healthcare after all we paid. Bill has to say to Obama to stop the BULLS_IT because with the support of Pelosi and Reid,the only way we will go is DOWN!!!!!

Bill basically gave a non-answer as others have pointed out. How can you trust him when he sold seniors down the road allowing Medicare Part D to pass? That's why many AARP members bailed out. The only solution is to expand Medicare to cover everyone which is what HR676, John Conyer's Single Payer bill ,does. Seniors over 65 will benefit most from Single Payer as more money will be coming in so that everyone will have health, dental, vision, mental health, long term care covered. They won't have to pay for Part B or supplemental Medi-gap coverage as they do now. Businesses, who cover their employees, benefit from their contribution being cut significantly from 16% of payroll they are currently paying. 2.6 million new jobs will be created which is an economic stimulus in itself.
David is incorrect about Single Payer-more money will be coming in than currently does for Medicare. Medicare does not tell doctors how to practice medicine as the insurance companies do now. It merely pays the bills. The delivery system stays private.
Everyone needs to urge their Congress member to Co-Sponsor HR676.

dejavue all over again. Novelli messed us up in October 2003.
STOP HIM NOW!

Is Gingrich still his best friend? Carolyn

I was disappointed in the representation by Bill Novelli--we near- retirees and retirees need a much stronger force to speak for us than that! As many people have mentioned, he didn't say anything!

As also have been mentioned before, I would very much hope for action in repealing both the WEP/GPO provisions of the Social Security Act. I am severely penalized for working for both the public (was not covered under social security), and for companies where I was covered by social security. My tiny private pension cuts my social security benefits down to around $250 a month. Overall, the WEP subtracts several hundred dollars a month from what I would have gotten if I had never worked in public service.

The WEP and the GPO are deterrents for anyone to want to work in public service. You end up not being able to take care of yourself based on your earned pensions and social secruity benefits, and not being able to provide for your family through spousal benefits. These laws are not fair to a very large group of people who were caught unawares as the laws changed, and are based on inaccurate and incomplete assumptions. Repeal the Social Security WEP and GPO!

As a senior citizen and at an age that my years here on earth are limited, I still feel very strongly about Social Security and Medicare. Do not take anything away from it and it will be just fine. Please do not attempt to include the unemployed or illegal imigrants. Perhaps some of these people need help, but you should create a separate program for them.....perhaps patterned after Medicare. There will always be people who do not want to work, but expect others to contribute to their well being.....must find a way to sort them out.

I also feel that medicare Part D was one of the worst things that they ever pushed on us. We all know who made out on that deal, and it was'nt the senior citizens. I still think they should find a way to put in a better program and get rid of Part D. The insurance companies are having a ball with that plan. Thank goodness that that we were not forced to accept privatizing of Social Security....what a mess that would have been

One quick fix for Social Security & Medicare would be to include all goverment employees from the President down in the system, and we would see some very quick solutions "pronto".

Perhaps we could save lots of money in government by cutting down to only one senator from each state, and follow through with the congress cuts also. I don't feel that they are entitled to such a large retirement amount either.

I don't understand why so many people are always picking on President Obama......give him a chance, and try to realize that he inherited this gigantic mess from that guy Bush and his administration of the last eight years. Also I don't understand the way the Republicans are acting.....they are so childish it's unbelievable. I grew up a long time ago when it comes to politics...I vote for the person not the party, so they should watch what kind of image they are presenting. I know of some diehards that still vote for their party instead of reasoning out who is more qualified. That will never change for some who have not learned to think for themselves.

Charlie

The video of the press conference did show the administrations' recognition of the health care issue. Thank you AARP for the representation.
I like the word sustainable. A system that is always there and UNIVERSALLY,(got it?) available is true health care.
Get rid of the lawyers and unreadible health contracts.
Limit judicial rewards to what a person would make in his liftime and provide quality care for that life time
Get rid of the paper pushing administrators. Paper does not provide health care.
Get rid of time consuming compliance. I want my doctors reading a medical paper in their spare time, not a threatening time wasting compliance notice.
Educate more health care personnel at a cost which does not indenture them. Debt to the bank does not provide health care.

I don't think either Bill or the President said anything of significance in the sound bite. While I'm glad that it is a priority, I hope we don't ignore one of the main causes of why our health care is more expensive than other advanced countries (i.e. legal costs). I don't see the Democratic Congress taking this issues on unless pressed by groups such as AARP. Even very liberal California has a cap on medical awards. Why should not such a cap be national? We are short in critical medical resources in select states because of the exorbitant cost of medical insurance.

j R says

More yammering by two people totally out to lunch on what the problem is.

I have not heard any talk about the root of the problem. In my judgement is like most things. Big buisness (Insurance companies) and Government(regulations that are not inforced becuase of loop holes writen intentionaly to payback people who helped officials get elected)is taking to much of the dollars I spend on Health care. There is also Doctors that are not producing resualts and we do not have a good way to hold them accountable. Then there are treatments in the Holistict and Naturalpathic area that can not get covered because the drug companies and government have rigged the system so they can't prove efficacy and be part of the health care system.

I believe that accountablity and tranparency like we need in the rest of our gone wrong policies is the root of the problem.

I have worked for the government for 27 years. I have cronic helth problems that I have spent a fortune on for 18 years, the drugs only helped a little. I see the waist and inefficientcy's every day?

The people,systems and Policies not working are not being held accountable!!!!!!!!!!! All these are sucking us dry!!!!!!!! Money thrown at any of our problems will not be the long term solution. We are not letting the checks and balances started in the CONSTITUTION work because of the short sited lyers and cheaters that a have applied their me first policy.

It is becoming painfully obvious that Mr. Novelli and others have forgotten that the "RP" in AARP stands for Retired Persons. Mr. Novelli contines to show his unwavering support for Obama's programs inspite of the fact that 98% of all new spending has no help for retirees.
As a matter of fact, since becoming president, Obama's policies & programs have had a negative effect on almost all investments. I know my little retirement nest egg is a lot smaller. As a result, there will be more hamburgers than steak on my dinner table.
Now, Obama is beginning his healthare crusade by threating to take money from Medicare Supplement Programs. I guess I'm too stupid to understand how that helps me.
In my opinion, many of these spending programs will come back to haunt us as tax increases in some fashion in future years.
I wish someone would form an organzation for retired people that actually looks out for retirees because the one we have isn't working.
John Carr

will AARP listen to the comments stated hear or will they continue to support programs that will never help all the seniors. we should not be supporting parties but individuals that will support those programs we need rather then spend money on what people think we need. We shouhd be providing the programs we need and insure that only those are passed without any pork additions that have nothing to do with the bill in hand.

There are major problems with the Health Care for profit system we now have. Since DRs. are in it for the money, assembly line care, FDA promotion of the drug companies and medical equipment industries, patient welfare is at the bottom of the list. Wellness programs where diet, life style and supplements are used before over inflated prescription remedies tried as a last resort are not profitible to the for profit system. People have to read the books, read the internet then follow life style chances at their own expense.
What the medical profession has coined as prevention is only a serious of tests to see if you are in need of more expensive care YET. It finds more reasons to treat more people quicker. You will get no advice how to avoid a cronic problem. Drs. don't have the time to waste. The Doctor that wrote the South Beach Diet said that his patients don't have heart attacks anymore. We cannot improve the health of this nation without the cooporation of the food industry. White refined flower, artifical sweeteners and artifical preservatives as in soft drinks cause untold deaths with the FDA's aproval. When you say the government is ruining health care, you mean the FDA. Corrupt and incompetent, it has the power to withhold a life saving drug and also put drugs out to the public that they know ahead of time will kill. The FDA threatens people's lives and it has to be stopped. Where do they get most of their money? Big Pharma (the drug companies). Who is ruining Doctors Education? Big Pharma. Remeber when DRs. could use common sense? The FDA rules now. Why is Health Care so expensive? Figured it out yet? There is no emphasis on prevention, it is maybe I'll get you next time.

I have read most of the comments made by my fellow AARP members. I see that most of the membership feels the same as I do. We that have to survive on our SS checks and Medicare are seemingly the forgotten ones. How can our members of Congress and the House continue to give themselves raises, add stupid line items of pork barrel spending to important bills, have an insurance program we have paid for with our tax dollars, a retirement and medical package for life, even if we fire them the next election, and dare to take money and medical care from people that barely exist on less than $1000.00 per month. All this new spending has to be funded. Cut the Budget? Right!! Let's add another 8 trillion to the deficit, raise everyone's utilities, gas, food, cut medicare and the military. Oh, by the way we need to study why sheep burp so much. Gee, cows belch to, let's add that. Can you people not understand that we need to put a rein on spending? We need to cut government interference in our lives, not add more. I personally would love to have the federal insurance program that the federal employees have. Then maybe I wouldn't have stacks of medical bills piling up each month. My doctors get upset at me when I don't come in to see them before I get in such bad shape. I would, but I used to be a person that fully believed in paying for what you got. It is embarassing to me to have these bills that I can no longer pay. Any volunteers from the Senate to each help one person on Medicare pay a month's doctor, hospital, or medicine bills?

If you let the government nationalized health care we are all in trouble. All they are doing is making a bad situation worse. And this damn AARP is right in the middle of the mess starting with our CEO!!!! Socialized medical care is the worst damn thing that could happen to seniors. And that is exacity where we are going. You had better wake up seniors real damn quick. Just look at Canada and England if that's the kind of care you want good luck!!

We Americans are so very spoiled it's nauseating. I'm so tired of this III busines.

To have proper medical care, Mericare should be opened up to every American citizen. It's important to limit the Government role in any health care program, as the government has never been able to keep the programs from going in the red.

If all this is not handled properly, the seniors will be treated as in Soilient Green movie. Rent it, view it, and for goodness sake get off the sofa, and join with the people of America to end all this nonsense.

As has been said by the Socialists' the way to take a country down is financially. Be careful now, think what is happening and by whom.

As for Mr. Novelli, he lacked forcefullness, and was mostly in agreement with the President. For Shame.

Thank you.

I feel there would be no problem with S.S. health care or medicare if we stop giving it to anyone who comes to this country and gets all the benefits we do and never worked or contributed to the system. If anyone remembers when FDR put S.S. in it was not to be taxed and it was FOR THE WORKING PEOPLE so that they would have a little extra when retiring. I also know that hospitals take advantage of Medicare. My husband was in the hospital one night, came out with a bill for over $23,000. One pill he takes cost $52.00 in the hospital. Think of what it would cost if we had to pay that for a months supply, and they get away with it. I have an itemized bill for that one day in the hospital, it's unreal. Take Congress and the Senate, put them on Medicare and S.S. when they retire instead of the big money they get for 2 terms in office, I bet we would see a change and fast too.

One provider insurance is a top priority and President Obama should continue and push for it. But until the economy is stabalized nothing can be accomplished, because where the money is going to come from. In my opinion the first priority should be to fix the housing market, when the housing market is up and running then we should press for a not for profit health insurance for all americans. The government run Medicare for seniors works why not use the Medicare as an example.

Bill Novelli said nothing just like so many others who we elect or appoint to represent us. Get in the trenches and talk to the people being effected on both sides of the issue. Weed through what is fact and what is personal complaining and then make an informed decision based on the FACT! I have relatives in countries that have goverment health care and they're not singing any praises. As a matter of fact, one of my aunt's is coming here to get a hip replacement because she was passed over by the Canadian health care system when she wasn't at home when they tried to contact her. Heaven forbid that you be away on vacation or elsewhere when Big Brother comes calling.
Politicians, Lawyers and Judges are the root of the problems in this country. We live in a sue over anything society (even our own stupidity, reference the suit against McDonald's where the person sued over being scalded by Hot Coffee. Duh, Coffee is supposed to be Hot). Doctors are afraid to do what they do best over the fear of being sued if they make a mistake. People forget they are human too!
I wish we could find a cure for Obamamania, that disease is going to bankrupt our country!

The ONLY rational program is a single-payer health care program with the INSURANCE INDUSTRY OUT OF THE PICTURE as they add NO INTRINSIC OR MARGINAL VALUE TO ACTUAL HEALTH CARE. Look at the administative, overhead/profit rates vs. Medicare for instance....as AARP supported the present Medicare drug program (with it's famous donnut) I hardly expect an INSURANCE executive to be on my side.
TJ Crowe, Califonia (and on Medicare)

Without a prepared script in front of him, the President really said nothing. Look into Tom Daschle's writings on this subject of health reform and that is what the party in power really thinks and on which they base their ideas of healthcare reform for the elderly and our health care needs. Novelli and AARP are so in the pocket of these people that we will probably again be sold down the river. Please watch. Elections have consequences and we seniors are about to get our due. Such a shame. Please watch and think.

I am extremely disappointed in AARP! I was considering joining but have given that up.

You said nothing about the cuts to Medicare payments.

I have just turned 65 and now paying for Medicare only to find out that Obama is going to CUT payments to Doctors, etc. in order to suport his SOCIALISTIC AGENDA FOR HEALTHCARE REFORM.

So those of us who have worked all our lives, paid SS and Medicare/Medicaid taxes and still paying 96.40 monthly for Medicare will see more out of pocket expenses coming our way to INSURE THE UNINSURED, many of whom have paid nothing into the system.

I am also concerned that the Medicare Advantage plans, of which I am a member, will close up shop. That means I will have to sign up for a Medicare Drug Plan which will cost me even more.

Socialism has not worked in any other country, and it wont work here.
In other countries PEOPLE DIE WAITING FOR TREATMENT, AND MANY TREATMENTS ARE PROHIBITED!

I think it is just a way to make sure that RETIRED INDIVIDUALS ON MEDICARE DIE MORE QUICKLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY CANT GET OR AFFORD PROPER TREATMENT, WHILE THE UNINSURED GO ON LIVING.
AGAIN, I HEARD NOTHING PROMISING IN AARP'S RESPONSE TO THE PRESIDENT.

I THINK THAT I WILL BE BETTER OFF DROPPING MEDICARE AND JUST TAKING MY CHANCES.

PERHAPS I SHOULD GET A TAN, LEARN SPANISH, AND GET FREE HEALTH CARE LIKE THE REST OF THE ILLEGAL ALIENS!!!!

We definately need reform in the health care system for the entire country.In my opinion when the insurance companys and drug companies lobby and control what kind of systems we are to enjoy you will never have afforadable insurance or health care for the entire country.At the present each family enjoys what they can afford to buy under the terms the insurnace and drug companies put in place.
AARP has crawled into bed with the insurance and drug companies by selling their brands to millions of AARP members. My advise is to shop around as you can save hundres from the AARP prices on the items they market. This includes the automobile insurance program.
AARP needs some reforms!!!!!!

We need national health insurance. Everyone should be covered under Medicare, which offers the most efficient medical coverage, far cheaper than the huge administrative costs forced upon us by private sector health insurance. However, we do need to improve the services Medicare provides and we should especially include long-term care services and supports.

I object to the phrase "entitlement" being applied to both the uninsured and Medicare recipients. We are not indigent; we are paying, and paying quite a bit, for the Medicare insurance we buy. It is not a hand-out.

I also think that Medicare should be part of the social security we receive (how can we be "secure" without it?). The social security package needs to be re-evaluated as a whole, not piece-meal along with medical care for indigent or uninsured people. With the stock market crash, even those of us who thought we had saved enough to retire are finding that our nest eggs have disappeared after we can no longer work. Social Security benefits need to be increased to at least be equal to (a) benefits of enlisted military personel, (b) disabled Americans.

One great way for the president to save money would be to make the military wait until they are the same age as other retired Americans before they can withdraw their retirement benefits. I agree they should have retirement benefits, even a pension, although most of the rest of American workers do not have pensions any more, but heartily object to them drawing retirement benefits at age 40 while working a second job (double-dipping in my opinion)while the rest of us have to reach 66 years or older.

The answer to affordable healthcare is to allow providers to cross state lines. Competition is the best method for providing the best product at the lowest price.

Someone in New York should be able to purchase a health plan provided by any company located in any state. Presently, this is not allowed. To add insult to injury, the premiums we all pay are determined by our zip codes, resulting in a high premium if you happen to live in a high end real estate area even if you are "low end" on the economic ladder.

I'm in my 70's and didn't have insurance as a child. But, then you could have a payment plan with your doctor, who also made housecalls and even during the depression, with my father unemployed, and little money to buy food, the doctor never turned you away. But that was then and this is now. Government alone is not the answer. Nothing in this world is free.

His comments were as effective as throwing water on a drowning man. I am very disappointed if this is all that AARP is doing. Our "health care system" is so broken merely spreading more of same to all is no solution. We need wellness care not just disease management. PLEASE keep the government out of health care. They have already botched everything they are involved in and are putting future generations of Americans gross amount of debt.

I will turn 65 this year and thus am about to experience what it is like to have "government sponsored health care." It not a pretty picture>:

1.It costs more. I will pay an additional $95 + a month for Part B coverage. My current health insurance will not decrease in cost but now it will be "secondary" which means it will pay no more that 20% of what medicare doesn't pay. The important part of that is that it means that if the doctor does not take medicare, I essentially have no medical insurance and must pay the full cost of my care even tho my insurance has paid up 50-60% in the past.

2. No choice of doctors. None of my doctors take Medicare. This is probably because what they consider reasonable and customary is so low. I have called doctors in town who take Medicare and am told they will not take any new patients and don't have a waiting list. They give the names of other doctors so I continue to make calls. Several friends who are on Medicare have told me they must go to Phoenix , which is 200+ miles away to find even a GP who will take Medicare and will take them as patient. I guess this is ok if you don't have an emergency, are healthy enough to drive, have lots of time on your hands and can afford the gas.Instead of choosing my doctor I must beg for a doctor, any doctor, (never mind their qualifications or ability as long as they take Medicare) to take me as a patient.

3. You get less care. Medicare does not recognize Naturalpathic MDs or other alternative medicine providers. Arizona is a medically underserved state. We have many retirees here and apparently not enough traditional MDs to go around. I have received excellent care from my Naturalpathic MD. Currently my insurance does recognize her and pays for my treatment there as well as tests she may prescribe including mammograms, bloodwork,etc. If I wish to continue seeing her I will have to pay out of pocket. Additionally her prescriptions for medications, tests, physical therapy, etc will no longer be reimbursed since Medicare will not recognize a Naturalpathic MD.

4. My other choice for health care will be the ER at the local hospital, which must treat Medicare patients and the uninsured. ER is already overcrowded with people who have real emergencies, those who don't have health insurance (in many cases because they choose to spend their money on things other than insurance like drugs, booze,etc), illegal aliens (yes we still have lots of them in Arizona) who can't get health insurance, and people who canot get health insurance because they are unemployed (often because of drug, alcohol of mental problems),or are denied private insurance because of "pre-existing conditions". I recognize there is a small minority of the population that doesn't not have insurance for legitimate reasons and not of their own choosing.These people do need help but I submit that they are a very small minority compared to the others who have just made bad choices or aren't even citizens. Those who made bad choices should be responsible for the consequences of their choices and not get "bailed out' by the majority who made responsible choices.

5. And to top all this off, this administration wants to provide LESS benefits under Medicare??? Why was ther no mention of this? Certainly AARP should be strongly addressing this issue.

My only regret is that I cannot opt out of gevernment health insurance (MEDICARE) and keep my private insurance as it is. It provides better coverage, at less cost and I can choose my doctors and get medical care in the town where I live when I need it. Even though I have paid into medicare for many years I would relinquish it, or accept what I a rebate of just what I paid into it without interest or increse even for inflation over all those years if I could keep my private insurance, as is and either choose to put that money in health savings account or use it to pay premiums for my current insurance. Of course I know in reality, the government has already spent all the money I gave them and then some. All that money we put into social security goes into the general fund, which Congress can then spend for anything. Like a bunch of drunken sailors they have been spending it all for decades!

The LAST thing I want to see in the US is universal health care. As one of your commentors stated universal means that it universally bad. To those who think federally sponsored health care insurance would be good I say be careful what you wish for. Private sector health insurance is no bargain, and yes we who have it have to fight with our company to get reimbursed for our legitimate expenses, but from what I can see of a Medicare--it can be much worse.

I continue to be concerned that our representatives from AARP are being misled by our congress and our new President. Supporting the enormous debt that they are loading onto the people will without a doubt increase the taxes that we will be paying on benefits, which will be reduced, and the interest(if we still get any) that we receive on our savings. Medicare premiums will increase as benefits decrease and the bill previously discussed in congress for a "one-time" tax on our retirement accounts will probably be resurected. They are already talking about the government taking over 401K's and other retirement accounts.

Retirees are becoming a major constituent of the population and with good non-partisan representation our interests can be protected through our voting power.

I am very concerned that what we are going to end up with is a terrible healthcare system, not enough medical personnel to treat those who want to see the Doctor because they are lonely and want to talk to someone, and bankrupt our contry and future generations. Does anyone know of anyone who is on Medicare that goes to the Doctor at a drop of a hat becasuse they do not have to pay, but wouod not think of it if they had to pay $10.00?? If you do not then you are probably fibbing.

We know of people who call the ambulance and spend a couple of days in the hospital, gets a lot of attention, returns home and within a month she is back there again. A wonderful lady, but very lonely.

Can we really afford that kind of treatment?? Congress has the best healthcare in the world, almost for free, but then again we send these houligans back time after time --- felons or "alleged" felons time after time. Too bad.

Bill Novelli has not mentioned a universal healthcare plan that has been introduced in Congress, and re-introduced in this Congressional session. That is H.R. 676, which is a single-payer universal health program that has been shown to be more cost effective for the government and for the people it serves. It covers all costs, dental, eye, and drugs with no premiums or co-pays. It is shown that a 4% income tax is all that would be required to pay for it. Currently over 80 of our congressional representatives have sponsored H.R.676. Why doesn't Bill Novelli say something about it? Is it that he would not like to deprive the insurance companies of their profits? H.R.676 removes the insurance companies and other middlemen from making money on health care.

Bill Novelli was right about keeping the taxpayer and
American public informed about health care reform. AARP needs to keep track of what's on the table and any changes presented by reform, then inform the membership of what is aceptable and what isn't. Obama at the end of that video said there would be trade offs, what might they be? Then try for a grass roots movement to promote and protect what the members want.

I am extremely disappointed in AARP. At one time we could depend on AARP to represent the rights of Seniors. It has now degenerated into a left-wing organization trying to please Mr. Obama and related political organizations. AARP began with a focus on Seniors and Retired persons. Now, Mr. Novelli spends his time, AARP's influence, and our lobbying dollars representing everybody, and every issue, except Seniors. What will it take to get us back to our original mission? Please listen!!
Bob Bybee

AARP and Bill Novelli have little credibility is seeking health care reform relative to offering the government option for health insurance. AARP simply "fronts" for private companies and private insurance, with all its rights to refuse to cover and to try to refuse coverage later on. And, AARP relies on income from insurance products for the bulk of its income. In that sense, AARP has been part of the problem, not the solution. In his remarks, Novelli talked about the public realizing the trade offs involved in a national health care system. To me, that sounds like his priviate insurance side beginning to talk. At the same time, I think that it is a good time to be optimistic about the future of universal coverage for all under the same rules from acceptance and coverage.

I am extremely disappointed in AARP in their lack of support for the seniors they are suppose to represent. As a senior it frightens me to think that the elderly, because of our age, will be the first to have rationed care under the proposed healthcare plan. As a nurse, I have taken care of elderly Canadians who came to the US for life saving hemodialysis because they were told in Canada that they were too old for treatment. This is not what I envisioned for my retirement years. Ask yourself, why does the current healthcare plan mandate that everyone over 65 have a consultation on hospice care every five years. Could it be that they don't want to spend money to treat seniors? Our current healthcare system is far from perfect, but the plan they are proposing is very frightening and will only result in healthcare that will be far worse that we have now. We need to encourage our legislatures to step back and look at other solutions.

This is something that I do not do very often, but I too like many other senior adults am disappointed in AARP's seemingly lack of support for the elderly on this health care issue that Obama is trying to push down the throats of the American people.

I for one have friends from Canada that I meet with during the winter months in Florida. After listening to many of their woes concerning socialized medicene in their country I certainly don't want to see us heading in that direction.

There is no doubt that our health care needs some revisions made to it, but I for one am satisfied with the HMO that my wife and I receive. It may not be all that great, but it certainly meets our needs at an affordable price. It frightens me to think that some day I would receive advice from doctors as to how to end my life. If AARP continues to side with the president on these sensitive issues I will be sure to cancel my membership from AARP. When I joined AARP several years ago I was lead to believe that you would stand up and support seniors' best interests. I would hate to see you compromise that trust.

In order to eliminate any speculation about my motives for writing this I will first tell you a little about my background.

I am a 57-year-old man who has had more than the normal exposure to our Government run programs. My experience with these programs started when I was 16 years old. My father had already passed away and I had to try to get help for my mother who had advanced stage Multiple Sclerosis. Eventually she ended up in a “Medicaid Approved” Nursing Home. The nursing home was not selected by her medical needs (as her doctors recommended) but solely by the fact that they “Accepted Medicaid Patients” and was “Medicaid Approved” as defined by Medicaid. To say the least this facility did not improve her health or quality of life. As a result, she simply gave up and soon after passed away. I later found out that if she had a private Nursing Care program (not run by the Government) she would have been able to select the facility that offered her the care that she wanted and her doctors recommended. In fairness, I cannot say that she would have ever gone into full remission or returned to a normal life style however I do know of a lot of cases that when properly treated have returned to live a relatively normal life.

In later years, this situation prompted me to investigate further into the health care problems facing us as we age. The more I read the more disgusted I became so I then decided that I should change my profession and become a Senior Advisor (an Insurance agent that specializes in Medicare eligible clients). Some may say that I did it to make money but those who know me will tell you, that for me, the money was not the issue as I was already making a comfortable living.

With that said, after having read most of HR 3200 and numerous articles about it is apparent to me that while we do need to improve our health care systems, we DO NOT need another Government run program that will only exasperate the financial problems that our country already faces and not really solve the true health care problems.

If passed this program would have to add additional taxes onto our already over taxed society. I say this for several reasons; most notably the bill as it stands will continue to subsidize the illegal immigrants’ health care without getting any tax monies from them or their country of standing. If passed, HR 3200 could also have our tax dollars spent on procedures like, abortion on demand (abortion without a medical reason) and sex change surgeries. I do not feel it fair to ask the taxpayers of our country to pay for the health care of the illegal immigrants’ or medically unnecessary procedures, when, according to the President and most of our elected officials we do not have proper health care for our own citizens and we are in an ever increasing financial crisis!

In fairness to some of our Congressmen and Senators, they do believe that they are trying to help however; the vast majority of them are not listening to their, tax paying, constituents as to what the problems really are. If they put more emphasis on fixing the problems with the current system, rather than creating a new one, we would be economically better off. Economically speaking, I ask, would you take out a loan to buy a new house if the existing one was repairable for a fraction of the cost? I think not! If a system is in need of repair, we should first try to fix it before creating and paying for a completely new system.

In closing I ask, why would AARP, the nation's largest group, supposedly working for the elderly, support a potentially disastrous bill? Here is what Dick Morris, former advisor to President Clinton, said: "The interest groups that usually speak up for the elderly, particularly AARP, are in Obama's pocket, hoping to profit from his program by becoming one of its vendors. Just as they backed Bush's prescription drug plan because they anticipated profiting from it, so they are now helping Obama gut the medical care of their constituents."

If you want to learn more I suggest, if you have not done so already, that you read the bill.
If you want a copy of HR 3200 you can download it at:

http://www.capwiz.com/afanet/webreturn/?url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3200:

I am not saying that everything found on the following sites is without bias, but I do suggest that they are helpful overviews of the bill:

http://www.liberty.edu/media/9980/attachments/healthcare_overview_obama_072909.pdf

http://action.afa.net/uploadedFiles/America's%20Affordable%20Health%20Choices%20Act%20(HR%203200)_Exposed_7_31_09-3.pdf

I don't trust Bill Novelli as far as I could throw him...He and his AARP Health Care Subsidiaries were primarily responsible for the 2003 Medicare Drug - Part D- passing in the House of Rep. after the Vote Was Held Open for OVER 3 Hours to twist enough arms to get it passed. The Vote was scheduled to be held in a 15-Minute time frame....and if it had been called at the end of the 15-Min. IT WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED. I was watching the whole thing as it transpired in the very early morning hours (PT). I cancelled my membership in AARP the very next day. I was outraged !! I don't trust AARP. They have become an Insurance Brokerage organization and appear to be willing to do anything to help "broker" the best financial deals for the companies they sponsor.
Lest you forget, that Bill brought us the "Donut Hole" and ruled out the option of being able to negotiate "bulk" prescription purchases from the Pharma industry.
AARP is not always as "Senior" friendly as it would like you to believe. Just follow them closely and listen closely to what they say and do, as well as what they don't say and do.