ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

AARP wants government controled health care again. This is why hundreds of us dropped membership when Hillery was pushing it.

If AARP wants to support this Obama plan that's fine, but take care of their members and not AARP financial interests.

AARP needs to be sure that Obamas plan doesn't create euthanasia for your members due to excessive wait time for procedures.
Also remember that national health care in every country that has tried it has extensive wait times, extreme costs, and loss of doctors. It really doesn't work for the benefit of the patients or the government.

I appreciate what AARP is doing to support the interests of its members by explaining the Obama proposed health care plan and by advocating for the best care for seniors. So far I haven't heard anyone bring up the issue of the high cost of medigap insurance. I am paying $300 per month for health care coverage through Medicare parts A & B, and a medigap plan. That takes an enormous chunk of money from my small Social Security check of $1000 per month. I am 67 yrs old and am currently working a job that does not offer health insurance. I will keep working as long as my health holds out, but am worried that I cannot afford full health coverage when I must quit. If AARP has given attention to this problem, I have missed it. Someone let me know please.
S. Harvey, Little Rock, Arkansas

My husband and I have recently joined AARP and I could not believe that an organization such as this can and will support the Healthcare Reform being pushed through our government. I have contacted my congressman and senators about how opposed I am to this reform, there is nothing good about this. I have worked in the healthcare field for years and very concerned that AARP of all organizations would support this. If you want to make a positive impact, focus on Medicare and all the fraud and abuse that has been taking place for some 50 years. Demand that our government give supportive explanations for the mismanagement of this program and why there has not been more done to stop this. If the government can not fix Medicare what possibly makes you think they can do any better with our healthcare as a whole. I hope more AARP members will speak out and stop this atrocity.

I hereby cancel my AARP membership in protest of your support of the Obama/Pelosi plan.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE

DO NOT support this outrageous Health Care Bill.

WE CAN NOT afford this ILLEGAL government control!

The Republican party has a 300 page solution that will not destroy our freedom of choice.

I cannot believe AARP has indorsed the Democratic health reform....oooops I mean Government take over. More government is not the answer. YOU have sold out your membership to the devil. Shameful! What's wrong with the Republican 300 page solution that includes competition across State lines. Why isn't AARP beating down the doors of Congress to pass some tort reform.

I cannot believe that the AARP is indorsing this palosi/obama take over of our health care system and our lives. I don't trust the government. I am quite capable to think for myself and make my own decisions.

Please count me as another who will cancel my AARP membership if the association continues its endorsement of the healthcare plan at this time.
Have you people not been listening to the majority!!!!!!! Get a grip.

How DARE You support this bill that will destory OUR FREEDOM.
You respresent the people. I have read the commets on this. I don't hear any of your people WANTING This. I will NEVER Join your membership. You have sold out your Membership. What did the Dem's promies you. Do you get to golf with the Pres. This company is a Disgrace to Our Wonderful County.

I can not believe that AARP would abandon their members like this. Since the Socialist party has gotten their 218 votes, I do not need AARP. Thanks for abandoning American values. I can not believe I spent 18 months in Vietnam and joined an organization that ejoins Americans lose their freedom. LONG LIVE THE TRIAL LAWYERS! MAY THEY CONTINUE LINE TO TAKE MONEY FROM AARP MEMBERS! thank you aarp for not supporting your members, of which iam no longer a part of.

This is the only industrialized nation that does not guarantee access to health care as a right of citizenship while the other nations such as in Europe have a single payer universal health care system.I am supporting the Universal Healthcare Bill proposed by President Obama and his supporters. Insurance companies have based their rates on gender, age and even zip code. Why I choose Universal Healthcare? The benefits are fairly obvious. If we cover each and every citizen with affordable or free health insurance, they will be able to maintain their health regardless of their income.Many Americans assumes that Universal Healthcare would be too costly or that they would be paying way too much for taxes, when in fact the United States spends at least 40% more per capita on health care than any other industrialized country with universal health care according to statistics from NationMaster (NationMaster is a vast compilation of data from such sources as the CIA World Factbook, UN, and OECD). So, while the U.S. is spending more on total health care when compared to other countries, the country is getting less access, patient safety, efficiency and equity.

PART 2
Access to health care is directly related to income in the United States. The US denies access to health care based on the ability to pay and based on health conditions—if one has a preexisting condition such as diabetes- it is seen as a lost or a liability. Under a universal health care system all would access care. Oppositions of the proposed Bill talk about socialized medicine as if, of course, it were something evil and that it would result in government control and intrusion into health care –losing the freedom of choice. But what these systems are, they use socialized insurance -- in other words, to socialize the financial risk of getting sick -- but the delivery system is private, often a for-profit mix. It is health care payment system, not a health care delivery system. Single payer health care is not socialized medicine, any more than the public funding of education is socialized education, or the public funding of the defense industry is socialized defense.

Managed care cannot resolve our country’s health care problems because health care is not a commodity that people shop for, and quality of care must always be compromised when the motivating factor for corporations is to make profit and save money through denial of care and decreasing provider costs. These corporations hire lobbyists to buy politicians through our campaign finance system, furthermore, controlling the media to persuade people that corporate health care is democratic, represents freedom, and is the most efficient system for delivering health care.

I have submitted three comments before this in regards to the proposed health care bill and Im just very disappointed on how people can be so ignorant and their comments be so vague...Do you even know what socialism is? Do you even know that the rest of the world has universal healthcare and they seem to be doing fine? Does that mean that the people in those countries doesnt have freedom?Do you know the facts? the numbers?
I suggest that people should do their own research, interview or maybe go back to school before making such accusations.
And by the way, American values?America has become the material America and has corrupted the so-called American core values.
These rude, inept comments only shows that people who can afford healthcare (through work or not) does not know that America isfacing a health care crisis because by 2010, the number of uninsured Americans will grow to more than 50 million. These are the people who would have to cope with bankruptcy if they get sick—or who might avoid seeking treatment altogether. Who cares about them? people who are in favor of the Bill.

My wife and I have been members of AARP for many years.
We feel betrayed by AARP's support of the Pelosi/Obama Healthcare plan. It allows government to make healthcare decisions for us. Just look at the Veteran's Administration, The Post Office and any other project managed by government.
We are dropping our memberships in disgust. We do not want to be part of an organization that claims to be protecting seniors when it reality it has sold us out.