ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

If you need more info about the Senate's health care proposal, check out our update on AARP Bulletin. Here's a snippet of what happened yesterday:

Congressional efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system took a major step forward Wednesday with the introduction of a 2,074-page proposal by Senate Democrats, which will be the basis for the Senate debate now. Passage of the bill, however, is far from certain and weeks away.

The bill, developed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., extends health care coverage to an estimated 31 million Americans who currently lack health insurance. Like the bill passed by the House Nov. 7, the Senate bill has a combination of requirements for both individuals and employers. It also provides subsidies for the poor and authorizes a public option--a government-run insurance plan--for uninsured or underinsured individuals. The Senate bill is largely financed by savings in future Medicare, Medicare Advantage plan and Medicaid spending. Those savings reduce spending by about 3 percent over 10 years, and lawmakers say they would not affect guaranteed Medicare benefits.

Read more here about how both House and Senate bills will affect you and yours.

Have you heard of the "doc fix bill" to be considered by the House this week? If not, here's the lowdown: this proposed legislation would stop planned cuts to physician reimbursements under Medicare. If the bill isn't passed and these cuts are made, payments to doctors will be cut by 21% starting in January (and more reductions to follow), making providers less likely to accept Medicare patients. In result, many older Americans could lose their physicians.

Check out the American Medical Association's President Dr. J. James Rohack talking to Inside E Street at AARP about how the "Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act" would help older folks get better care.

Now that the health care reform bill has passed the House and moves to the Senate, folks are struggling to have a better idea of what exactly this bill is and what it means for them and their families. Here are just a couple of things the bill will do for the country:

The House measure would cover 36 million uninsured Americans and bar insurance companies from denying people coverage because of their health or age. It would require all Americans to have health coverage, provide subsidies for those who can't afford it and create insurance exchanges--where people could shop for coverage among a number of plans, including a government-run option.

For older Americans, the legislation would begin to close the Medicare "doughnut hole" coverage gap, place strict limits on what insurance companies can charge for policies and put a cap on the out-of-pocket health expenses.

As efforts are being made to merge the the two health care bills produced by the Senate's Finance Committee and the Health Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, this piece gives us the lowdown on how each measure - the House bill, the Senate Finance bill, and the Senate HELP bill - will effect everyone, whether you're an individual, business, if you're not insured, if you're covered by Medicare or covered by Medicaid. Check out the nitty gritty.

You absolutely must check out this new video series addressing why health care reform is important, from the voices from experts, physicians, organizations, retirees and others. The first video is below, where folks discuss how health reform will only strengthen Medicare by prescription drug choices, long term care choices and out-of-pocket expenses.

If you're having any thoughts or questions about health care reform, join our Health Action Now Mythbusters group, an online space not only where we'll be posting updates of our myth v. facts campaign, but also so AARP members can discuss the issues surrounding reform.

Also check out our Health Action Now campaign site for more information about the health care crisis and why reform is needed.

From AARP CEO, Barry Rand

We started this debate more than two years ago with the twin goals of making coverage affordable to our younger members and protecting Medicare for seniors. We've read the Affordable Health Care for America Act and we can say with confidence that it meets those goals with improved benefits for people in Medicare and needed health insurance market reforms to help ensure every American can purchase affordable health coverage.

Today's endorsement marks the first time in this legislative battle that AARP has put its full weight behind a comprehensive health care reform package. In the coming days, AARP will be educating its members about the health care reform package through its publications, paid advertising and more than five million calls and e-mails to its grassroots activists.

As members of the House gear up for this historic vote, they will hear from older Americans.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act and the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act contain critical components AARP has been fighting for on behalf of its members and all older Americans to improve health care for them and their families. They include:

• Protecting and strengthening Medicare for today's seniors and future generations of retirees;


• Ensuring seniors can see the doctor of their choice or find a doctor if they need one by improving Medicare's payments to doctors;


• Lowering drug costs for seniors by closing the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole" and allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug makers for lower drug prices;


• Taking steps to reduce waste, fraud, abuse and inefficiency in the Medicare program;


• Requiring Medicare and insurance companies to provide for important preventive services like screenings for diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis free of charge;


• Stopping insurance companies from denying you affordable coverage because of your age;


• Preventing insurance companies from denying you coverage if you have a pre-existing condition or dropping your coverage if you get sick;


• Limiting how much your insurance company can make you pay out-of-pocket;


• Providing affordable health insurance options for those who don't have insurance; and


• Providing benefits to help seniors and people with disabilities live in their own homes and communities by establishing the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program.

We cannot continue to let insurers price older Americans out of the market, just as we cannot stand idle while millions of seniors are forced to choose between their groceries and their prescriptions. AARP is proud to endorse the Affordable Health Care for America Act and the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act, and we urge members of the House to pass this critical package in the coming days to help fix our broken health care system.

Here is a story from the Wall Street Journal today that discusses the inclusion of a long-term care benefit in the House bill. It's a program that would pay cash to people who become disabled by way of premiums deducted from employee's paychecks - but of course, employees would have the option to opt out of the program. The provision is meant to help with the problem that not many people have long-term care insurance if they need home care or to be in a nursing home. Medicare does not include long-term care benefits.
AARP's John Rother is quoted in the article - he says the long-term care benefit would be "enough to pay for the kind of care most people need."

More Technology News...
We mentioned the article from the New York Times last week about seniors and technology, and on the Times' "Gadgetwise" blog, there was a follow up piece posted yesterday that caught even more technology options that seniors might find useful - including AARP's official cellular service provider, Consumer Cellular, which offers phones designed specifically for older folks - with features like bigger buttons and simpler displays.

Travel Much?
Ever wonder if travel insurance is something in which you should invest? Check out this story from the Chicago Tribune. It gives "seniors on the go" the low-down on the kinds of insurances that are available to them, and what is necessary for different types of trips. One big fact to note: Medicare doesn't cover you outside of the U.S.! Just something to keep in mind. Check out the article for more tips!

Check out this editorial in Politico from Nancy LeaMond, Executive Vice President at AARP. She talks about the "sobering" realities that senior citizens face when it comes to health care, and where AARP stands on the issues at hand with health care reform. She discusses the need to close that "doughnut hole" in Medicare prescription drug coverage, and that discrimination by insurance companies must end. LeaMond says:

"AARP has been fighting for years to abolish age rating for the same reasons that we want to end private insurance discrimination based on a person's gender or medical history: because fairness is a fundamental American value, and arbitrary discrimination in any form runs counter to who we are. This year we have an opportunity to make great progress toward ending discrimination and ensuring that those who need affordable, high-quality health care can find it."

In other News of Note...
Here is an article worth checking out from the Wall Street Journal. It talks about an interesting dilemma: how caring for your aging parents can cause problems in your career - especially when it comes to relocation for that career. The story highlights the stories of three executives who had to do just that - and how each of them tackled the problem and found a solution in different ways.

Posted today in USA Today's Opinion section was an op-ed by AARP's John Rother on insurance companies engaging in age discrimination by charging higher premiums to seniors than they charge younger consumers.

In his article, John says:

"This discriminatory practice is a key reason why 13% of older Americans (or 7.1 million) were uninsured in 2007, a figure that is growing rapidly.

Many other older Americans are so burdened by the high cost of their premiums that they avoid health care treatments that would require them to spend more out of their own pockets."

You can check out his view and the "opposing view" and decide what you think!

One more interesting (but definitely complicated) article to leave you with before the weekend is this one from MSNBC - it gets into all the technical, dirty details of how you can still go about retiring early.

Have a great weekend.

Check out President Obama's speech to the financial industry on Tuesday, calling on them to support health care reform.

Senior White House Advisor, Valerie Jarrett joins us here in Vegas for Vegas@50+ to talk all things health care reform.

She'll appear at the session, "Health Care Reform - If Now Now, Then When?" showing at 2:30 p.m. PDT (that's 5:30 p.m. for you East coasters!). You can watch the livestream of the session at www.aarp.org/healthcareevent

Let us know what you think of the panel discussion!

Check out this great new piece by AARP's Michael Zielenziger on how the rising cost of health care is costing older workers their pay wages, and even their jobs:

"According to the Kaiser study, health insurance premiums across America have climbed 131 percent since 1999--far more rapidly than workers' wages, which rose 38 percent, or inflation, which rose 28 percent in the same period.

Only 60 percent of U.S. firms offer health benefits to any of their workers, the survey reports. Among those firms, 21 percent said they reduced health benefits or increased cost-sharing because of the economic downturn, while 15 percent reported they increased the worker's share of the premium.

Now, more workers with health insurance are paying higher deductibles when they receive medical care, the Kaiser study says. In 2006, only 10 percent of workers had to pay the first $1,000 of their medical bills before receiving insurance benefits. Today, 22 percent of workers must pay at least $1,000 out of pocket each year before their insurance starts to pay a portion of their medical bills. A demand for plans with higher deductibles frequently comes from smaller firms, with less than 200 workers."

The multiple first-hand accounts of small business employers serves as a reality check of the choices they're faced with. Check out the entire piece here.

As we all know, the Senate Finance Committee took the first major step toward health reform by voting in favor of a health reform package which Max Baucus says will ensure that "in the United States of America no person goes broke just because he or she gets sick." But what is in it exactly? AARP Bulletin posted this mini visual explanation of what is entailed; check it out.

Check out this Washington Post piece by Simon Johnson and James Kwak discussing how we can look at affording health care reform.

They give us two ways to grapple with what health care reform would mean for us economically. Obviously this means a lot for those of us struggling during the recession - looking at the country as a whole, and looking at it from the perspective of the federal government is important.

So is health care reform fiscally responsible for this country? Read it and find out.

After the Senate Finance Committee passed the Affordable Health Choices Act yesterday, Nancy LeaMond (AARP Executive Vice President) released this statement:

"We applaud the Senate Finance Committee for taking another important step toward fixing what's wrong with our health care system. Under the leadership of Chairman Baucus, the legislation reported today moves us even closer to providing much-needed relief to millions of older Americans who still face challenges accessing affordable, quality health care services.

"The Senate Finance Committee bill makes important improvements to the Medicare program by increasing preventive benefits, making sure Medicare's doctors do not face a pay cut this year, and most notably for AARP members--by reducing drug costs for seniors who fall into the dreaded Medicare doughnut hole, a costly gap in prescription drug coverage. Too often, those who fall into this coverage gap stop taking their prescription drugs because they simply can't afford to. While we applaud this assistance with drug costs in the doughnut hole, we urge the Senate to go further to meet the President's pledge to completely close the doughnut hole. With the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs, we believe this bill should be improved so that it can help millions of older Americans afford their needed medications and avoid more intensive and costly care later in life.

"The bill also makes some improvements on age-rating, a discriminatory practice that allows insurers to charge exorbitant, age-based premiums to older Americans. Unfortunately, the bill will still allow insurance companies to charge older Americans premiums that are four times more than premiums for younger Americans, making it difficult for older Americans to afford health coverage. We hope the final Senate bill will be improved in this area.

"Finally, we strongly support provisions in the Senate Finance bill to expand home and community-based services (HCBS). The vast majority of Americans age 50 and over want to live in their homes and communities as long as they can. HCBS provisions are not only cost-effective, but can also help slow the growth in health care spending and keep millions of Americans out of nursing homes and in their own homes.

"The legislation passed is yet another milestone in the long journey to health care reform. We look forward to continuing our work with Chairman Baucus and his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to further strengthen the bill, and we will continue to fight for reform that protects benefits for people in Medicare, improves health care affordability, and improves the health of every American."

Martha Hamilton has a piece up at AARP Bulletin about the dilemma that millions of Social Security recipients are facing for 2010: not only will there be no Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, but a hike in Medicare premiums that will leave them in a serious financial bind. The good news is that Congress is taking action.

Tricia Neuman and Juliette Cubanski of the Kaiser Foundation also have a really useful brief on the issue, explaining the relationship between the Social Security COLA and the Medicare Part B premium, and what's at stake for those covered by both programs. Check that out for a good background on the issue, and Hamilton's piece on what is being proposed to help the situation, at least temporarily - the House just passed by a measure that would freeze Part B premiums for the coming year (and the Senate will likely to follow). But another problem is also weighing; others may see a reduction in their SS checks due to Part D premiums.

In short, there is much to be done to ensure Social Security recipients aren't left out in the cold. Let's just hope the work pays off.

It looks like some of the fear and skepticism are starting to fade as older Americans learn more about the benefits of health care reform. You've read it here before: reform can mean lower drug prices, better coverage and the end of discrimination by health insurance companies. Now a new Associated Press-GfK poll shows that the opposition stirred up by the scare tactics of August is subsiding, dropping 16 points in September.

Check it out for yourself here.

There is a really disturbing article by the Chicago Tribune about how Illinois has relied heavily on nursing homes to house mentally ill patients. As expected, the result has been numerous crimes committed against the older people living in these homes.

More than any other state, Illinois relies heavily on nursing homes to house mentally ill patients, including those who have committed crimes. But a Tribune investigation found that government, law enforcement and the industry have failed to adequately manage the resulting influx of younger residents who shuttle into nursing facilities from jail cells, shelters and psychiatric wards.

Mentally ill patients now constitute more than 15 percent of the state's total nursing home population of 92,225, government records show, and the number of residents convicted of serious felonies has increased to 3,000. Among them are 82 convicted murderers, 179 sex offenders and 185 armed robbers.

Homes for older adults are supposed to just that: homes. Sharing a living space that is supposed to be a safe haven with individuals (while I'm sure many are not dangerous) who may be harmful or disruptive to a way of living that is supposed to be anything but that.

As the final quarter of the year is suddenly upon us, there is certainly no shortage of news concerning AARP and its members.

First and foremost, it looks like Sen. Baucus' health care reform bill might be voted on before the end of the week! The AP reports that the bill survived challenges from Republican critics over taxes and more on Wednesday - and Baucus seems pretty confident that they will get the through the Senate Finance Committee soon.

The committee is still debating so-called "Cadillac" insurance plans. Sen. John Kerry wants the threshold of plans to which a tax would apply to be higher for retirees and workers in "high-risk" industries. Read this story in the Washington Post about what exactly constitutes a "Cadillac" plan.

AARP was featured in a fun and useful U.S. News and World Report article called "Retired? How to Travel on a Budget." The article gives "9 ways to see the world without breaking the bank," and number one on that list is making the most of senior discounts. Of course, AARP is always negotiating great deals for its members, and the article includes a link to the exclusive Expedia AARP member Web site, www.expedia-aarp.com. Check out the story for all the great tips!

Another interesting story in U.S. News and World Report took a look at ageism in the workplace...and with the unemployment rate of Americans over 55 hitting a post-Great Depression high of 7 percent, older workers don't need stereotypes hindering their ability to find a job. But, the article also notes - sometimes the stereotypes of older workers are not necessarily negative. But wait...are stereotypes ever really a "good" thing? Hmmm...check out the article and see what you think.

Hot on the AARP News radar this morning is a front page article in the New York Times that takes a look at the effect the bill taken up this week by the Senate Finance Committee would have on seniors receiving health benefits through Medicare.

The debate is heated, and AARP had a voice in the article: David Certner, legislative counsel is quoted, saying "It's unfair to single out seniors to pay more for their health benefits when other high-income people are not being asked to pay more."

On the other end of the news spectrum, AARP The Magazine is getting a lot of attention for its cover stories in recent issues. On Bruce Springsteen's 60th birthday, the New York Times' "Well" blog posted "The Boss Turns 60," and talked about how fans of the rock legend never thought they'd see the day Springsteen was on the cover of AARP's magazine. But, as Nancy Graham says, "...he really personifies our message at AARP that attitude matters more than age."

An atypical place AARP news is showing up? PerezHilton.com. The ubiquitous celebrity gossip blogger featured the magazine's November/December issue cover with Natalie Cole. The story includes excerpts from ATM's article and calls Cole "a true inspiration." Fun fact: 93% of PerezHilton.com readers are under the age of 45 - with 70% between 21-34. We're really extending our reach!

For those who don't know what health reform bills are being proposed, want to know the facts v. myths about health care reform, and what AARP is doing to push for reform to improve the lives of Americans, check out our Health Reform: Get the Facts section of our website.

It not only has a list of resources for you to go to for more information about health reform and legislation pending in Congress, but also ways to get in touch with AARP to answer any questions that aren't addressed on the site. Or do you want to help us in our efforts for health care reform? Check out ways to get involved at Health Action Now!

As a follow-up to E Street's visit from Kathleen Sebelius who gave us some insight into what Medicare would look like after health care reform, there's a great and substantive AARP article from Friday that gets into the nitty gritty as to why controlling the costs of Medicare doesn't mean benefits will be cut:

"Both the House bill (HR 3200) and draft legislation from the Senate Finance Committee, released this week, include around $500 billion in savings carved from future growth in Medicare spending over a 10-year period. Although that sounds like a huge sum, it's actually only a small fraction of the $6.4 trillion expected to be spent on Medicare from 2009 to 2019. Still, where will the money come from?

The savings are expected to be achieved mainly by: reducing fraud and waste more aggressively; reducing government subsidies to private Medicare Advantage plans; paying doctors more for practices that improve quality of care and save money; and paying providers (notably hospitals and home health agencies) a little less of an increase each year in an effort to gradually trim the rate at which Medicare costs climb over time--aka 'bending the cost curve.'

'These are not reductions in benefits; they're not even reductions in the prices that Medicare pays. It's a slowdown in the increases in prices,' says McClellan, a physician and economist who now heads the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at the Brookings Institution in Washington."

Read the rest of the piece and spread the word to friends and family; we need to set the record straight on what health care reform can do for Medicare, not that it will take away from it.

From the mouth of the American Medical Association - Dr. James Rohack talks about protecting patient-doctor relationships.

With the health care crisis affecting so many, it's not surprising to find Americans cutting back on check-ups, medication and other health care that they simply can't afford. But health care professionals are also finding ways to cut back costs for patients so people who need medical attention aren't left at the way side. AARP Bulletin has a great article about how many hospitals are actually making home visits to patients to avoid readmission and the costs that come with it:

"Traditionally, hospitals haven't followed their patients' progress after they've been discharged. But high readmission rates have been linked to spiraling--and unnecessary--health care costs, prompting hospitals like Rush to start pilot programs to give patients the help they may need when they first return home.

A study published in the April New England Journal of Medicine reports that, currently, about one in five Medicare patients returns to a hospital within 30 days of being discharged. And that's expensive."

This has become such a concern that President Obama's budget proposal and health care reform bills are calling for changes in the wat that hospitals are being paid, as well as pending legislation that would create a new Medicare benefit to extend services that assist folks' transition from hospital to home. But in the meantime, many hospitals are taking action on their own. For example, Rush University Medical Center created a program a couple of years ago, the Enhanced Discharge Planning Program, that consisted of follow up calls to patients days after being discharged as well as arranging home visits if necessary. About 60 percent of the people who get follow-up calls need help, according to the program's records.

Looks like they have the right idea. Check out the entire piece.

Folks are understandably concerned about President Obama's contention that no new taxes will be needed to pay for health care reform, which has in turn raised questions about cuts or changes to Medicare.

AARP's Inside E Street has a special report by Secretary of HHS Kathleen Sebelius responding to this concern. In short, there will be no cuts to Medicare benefits, but there would be to waste and fraud in the system, which will only help the program (and our pockets). Check it out.

You may have heard the term "public option" tossed around lately in the same breath as "health care reform.

If you're confused about what that means, be sure to check out and forward this valuable explanation from Nancy-Ann DeParle, White House Office of Health Reform, who appeared on AARP's Prime Time Radio this week.

After the presidential address last night on health reform, AARP conducted an overnight nationwide survey of people 45 years and older, and found that the president's speech caused a change in many Independents who were largely unsure about health care reform.

While most independents had concerns and questions about current health care reform proposals, last night's speech resulted in a majority being "more supportive of the proposals being talked about related to health care." More from our press release:

"In a national survey of Americans over 45, AARP found that many independents had concerns about health reform coming into last night's speech (77 percent), but most (72 percent) felt that some of their concerns were addressed by the President's speech. Further, a clear majority of independents considered themselves 'more supportive of the proposals being talked about related to health care' after the speech was over (63 percent).

'What we saw in this survey was something we've seen for decades: that once you explain why we need reform people understand its importance,' said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President. 'Last night's speech wasn't as much of a 'game changer' as it was a volume softener. Older Americans across the political spectrum continue to agree that reform must be accomplished this year - we are hopeful that momentum carries us to reform that AARP can support.'

When asked if after watching the health reform address people felt that reform should be a priority for our leaders to address this year, 70 percent of Independents, 95 percent of Democrats and a majority of Republicans - 56 percent - agreed it should."

Check out all info from the survey here.

As many of you may know, President Obama is scheduled to address the nation in a speech on health care reform tonight. Here's a preview from AP - an interview with the White House Communications Director on Health Care Reform, Linda Douglas.

Speech time is at 8 pm tonight Eastern, so make sure to tune in and let us know what you think right here in the comments section.

It's about you.

AARP's John Rother takes to YouTube to explain why AARP cares about reforming health care.

Watch:

I've been getting a lot of questions in my inbox lately, and below is one of the most commonly asked. It's my hope that by answering these questions we can get the word out about why health care reform is important and debunk some of the myths that are floating around right now.

Q: We're worried health-care reform may go too far. Will we be forced into a plan or have to change doctors?

A: AARP will not support reform that would deny you the freedom of choice to keep your current plan, including keeping your current doctor. That's what AARP's fight for health-care reform is all about--creating the kind of quality, affordable, and uniquely American health-care system you want.

AARP's policy agenda is driven by you, our members. We developed our health-care reform priorities from nationwide member surveys, from member focus groups in a number of cities, and from the thousands of letters and phone calls we've received. You've told us what you need and what you want in health-care reform, and that's exactly what we've been fighting for.

Those of you who like your current plan and your doctors have told us in no uncertain terms that you want to keep them. Those of you ages 50 through 64 who have had trouble getting coverage have told us that you're tired of being told you can't get insurance because of an illness you had five years ago, or because of some other preexisting condition, or because of your age. AARP supports reform that ensures Americans ages 50 through 64 a real choice of quality, affordable health-care plans.

Those of you on Medicare let us know, in overwhelming numbers, how the Medicare Part D prescription-drug coverage gap--the dreaded "doughnut hole"--is hurting you. Annually, about one-quarter of Part D enrollees fall into the gap, paying so much more for brand-name meds that some people stop taking them altogether. Only 4 percent make it across the gap to the other side, when costs drop substantially.

There is good news at press time: AARP has endorsed an agreement--brokered by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.)--between President Obama and U.S. drug manufacturers, who have offered to pay half the costs for most people who reach the coverage gap, as part of health-care reform legislation. This could take effect as early as July of next year. (For more information on dealing with the doughnut hole, see the "Drugs for Less" sidebar on this page.)

Another serious problem we've been hearing more about lately is that of hospitals discharging older patients without any follow-up, or "transitional," services. One of every five Medicare beneficiaries is readmitted within 30 days of discharge; and one of every three, within 90 days--often because of poor communication between patients, caregivers, and health-care providers. We need a benefit in Medicare to help people safely transition to home or another setting to prevent costly and unnecessary hospital readmissions.

Our work is to see that you get more from health-care reform, not less. You deserve the peace of mind of knowing you will always have quality, affordable care. But we need your support to persuade Congress to act on AARP's commonsense health-care reform priorities. Please visit our health-care reform Web site--healthactionnow.org--to see how you can make a difference in getting to needed solutions.

If you have a question and would like me to answer it you can send it to:

Dear Jennie
AARP
601 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20049
or e-mail DearJennie@aarp.org.

Vice President Joe Biden was in Chicago today talking health care and his administration's plan to give $1.2 billion dollars to help computerize medical records. "Electronic medical record systems really save lives," Geriatrician June McKoy said.

Biden added, "We're trying to modernize. . . This is not about government control, or 'socialized medicine.' It's simple: Modernize."

Check out the whole piece here.

The New York Times reports:

"The Gang of Six -- the three Democrats and three Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee who are writing a health care bill -- have set their first formal August recess teleconference for 9 p.m. on Thursday.

'Bipartisan progress continues,' Senator Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat and chairman of the committee, said in a statement."

Sen. Baucus added, "Our group will be meeting tomorrow, and our staffs continue to meet as well. I am confident we will continue our steady progress toward health care reform that will lower costs and provide quality, affordable coverage to all Americans."

The Washington Post hosts regular online chats about the news of the day...and today AARP's Legislative Policy Director David Certner will be discussing health care reform and fielding questions from listeners.

You can submit questions and comments before the session which happens today Wednesday, Aug. 19th, at Noon ET.

Tune in, learn more and have your questions answered!

For over fifty years, AARP's mission has been educating and engaging in the issues most important to you, our members. With over 40 million members we understand the importance of debate. Even when some members don't agree with our advocacy positions, it is critical that we make sure those differences of opinion are based on facts, not myths designed to derail a long overdue effort to fix what's wrong in our health care system.

Doing nothing is not an option. But any reform must not get between a patient and their doctor. It must not cut Medicare benefits. It must not allow insurers to continue to line their pockets by covering only the healthiest and the youngest.

AARP is committed to making sure health care reform will do the following for our members:

Lower Drug Costs and Strengthen Medicare: Close the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole," ensure patients' access to their doctors, and crack down on fraud and wasteful spending;

Protect Your Health Care Choices: Make sure you can choose your doctor, your health insurance plan and where to receive care;

End Discrimination by Insurance Companies: Prevent insurance companies from denying you coverage because of a pre-existing condition or using age to price Americans age 50-64 out of affordable, quality health insurance; and

Guarantee Stable, Affordable Coverage: Ensure you have the security of knowing that if you lose or change jobs, you will be able to get affordable, quality health insurance.

Since July 1st, when we started seeing a rise in phone calls and emails here at AARP as a result of the health care debate, we have lost approximately 50,000-60,000 members. While we are encouraged that almost 1.8 million people have either joined AARP or renewed their memberships over that same time span, we take the loss of any member seriously. ‪We don't want to see you, our members, leave for any reason, and understand that even when we all have the facts reasonable people may agree to disagree on the proposals being put forth by Congress.

AARP's strength has always been our members, and we're working hard to represent them as best we can. Each of our policy positions have been carefully considered and are set by our all-member volunteer board of directors based on input from our members.

We're also working to dispel several of the myths and lies that have warped the health care reform debate, targeting older Americans in particular with horror stories about euthanasia and rationed care. We believe that, at a time when a lot of the information about health reform surfacing on the Internet, cable news and talk radio simply isn't true, it's important that each of our members are armed with all the facts about this very important debate.

As we continue to fight on your behalf and work to fix our health care system, we are bound to have different opinions among our members. We respect each opinion and choice you make, and will do our best to represent the individuals who have, with their membership, shown that the collective voice of 40 million members working together have the power to make our health care system better - for themselves and for generations to come.

Sincerely,
A. Barry Rand

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

AARP Bulletin has an important piece up today about the health care reform debate, and how so many Americans just don't know who to believe anymore. The piece looks at the information (and misinformation) in depth to give folks a better idea of what's going on, and where the real threat lies. They also give other useful resources by nonpartisan organizations with more fact-checkers about info on different proposals:

- The Kaiser Family Foundation's side-by-side comparisons of the leading proposals

- The Annenberg Public Policy Center's fact checker

- Politifact's Truth-O-Meter

But make sure to check out the whole piece, and spread the word.

There is a great website out there called "Politifact.com" - take a look at http://www.politifact.com. They are a non-partisan and fact-based organization dedicated to illuminating the truth (or untruth) of statements politicians and other make on television, print and in other settings. Just as you might go and check an urban legend on snopes.com, we'd recommend checking things out on this Pulitzer prize winning site as well when you receive something via email or other source and you wonder about the accuracy of the statement.

Here are a few items Politifact.com is currently taking the time to research:

Obama Claims Endorsement From AARP:
http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2009/aug/12/obama-claims-endorsement-from-aarp/

http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/aug/12/barack-obama/obama-goes-too-far-when-he-says-health-reform-bill/

Obama would have government require a centenarian to get a pill, not a pacemaker:
http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/aug/03/dan-lungren/lungren-says-obama-would-have-government-require-c/

McCaughey claims end-of-life counseling will be required for Medicare patients:
http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/jul/23/betsy-mccaughey/mccaughey-claims-end-life-counseling-will-be-requi/

And in case you have the time or the inclination, here is the link to ALL of Politifact's research into statements made on health and health reform. Take a look - there's a lot there: http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/subjects/health/

What are you hearing? Tell us! Post some of the myths you're getting in your conversations or email box in the comments section. Or give us your thoughts about why people are resorting to putting forth myths rather than arguing the facts.

In case you didn't catch AARP's Legislative Policy Director, David Certner, on The O'Reilly Factor last night, here's the clip.

David answers some of the same tough questions ya'll have been asking in the comments...

From Pete Jeffries, National Campaign Consultant to Divided We Fail

This morning, RedState published an inaccurate piece titled, "AARP
Officially Endorses H.R. 3200, the Democrats' Healthcare Overhaul." The
headline is false and the claims made against AARP within the piece are
misleading.

Fact is AARP has not endorsed H.R. 3200, nor any comprehensive health
reform bill from the Congress or administration.

AARP's official position on health reform has been known for many years
- the organization simply wants what's best for its members and all
Americans in general. AARP has long been advocating for access to
affordable, high-quality health care. That's one of the reasons over the
last two-and-a-half years the organization has been leading Divided We
Fail, a diverse coalition of businesses, consumers, and labor groups
focused on bringing people together and calling for solutions on health
and financial security.

Lastly, AARP has been working with both Democrats and Republicans to
pass health reform legislation that would improve the lives of millions
of Americans, including AARP members 50 years and older, because health
care access and costs have been spiraling out of control.

Please read AARP's earlier post on combating the multitude of
inaccuracies and myths out there in this critical debate.

Our own Drew Nannis appeared on Fox News this morning to talk about a
video circulating of a Dallas AARP Town Hall on health care. The video
has gained some notoriety, so Drew went on Fox News to clarify a few
key points.

1) AARP tried to hold the meeting for about a half-hour before
deciding that to continue would be impossible.

2) Folks later apologized for the behavior of a few of the disruptive
members in the audience. Most of them wanted to hear what we wanted
to say and have a civil dialogue.

3) Two days later, AARP held another meeting, in the same city, with
many of the same people and it went smoothly.

Here's Drew in his own words...

Hi - I'm Barry Jackson and I run the online advocacy program here at AARP. You may receive some of the emails I send out. Hopefully you find them useful. We find that these emails are a fantastic way to stay in touch with AARP members and let them know about issues that are timely and actionable.

If your inbox is anything like mine, you're getting a lot of emails about how SCARY health reform is. From allegations about rationing care to wild reports of government-sponsored euthanasia, the rumors just keep getting crazier.

And I've had enough. Enough of the fear-mongering. Enough of the myths and unfounded rumors. Enough of the interest groups twisting the truth to stop health reform.

I'm fighting back - and I'm asking for your help!

Below I've debunked some of the common myths going around. Please join me in forwarding these facts to everyone you know. Print them out and pass them around at your social gatherings and other places where people are discussing the issues of the day. Help get the truth out about reform.

The truth is real reform is at risk because opponents are using scare tactics and slogans to gin up fear and misunderstandings. Don't let that happen.

Let's make sure everyone gets the truth. Forward the message below, share these myths and facts on Facebook if you have an account, or post them on other networking sites. If you're active on Twitter, please tweet the truth now.

******Forward these points to friends and family ******

FACT #1: Medicare will not be ended, and no benefits or services will be cut.

Your services will not be ended, nor will your benefits be cut. AARP's position on this could not be clearer. And we have sent this message loud and clear to Congress. While the current proposals include savings in Medicare by cutting out fraud, abuse, waste, and inefficiency, we're standing up and making sure benefits for Medicare recipients are not only fully protected, but are improved.

FACT #2: No legislation currently in Congress would mandate the rationing of care. Period.

Our staff has read all of the legislation circulating in Congress and there are no provisions in these bills that would ration care for our members. None. If any ever did, we would vigorously fight to stop that legislation.

FACT #3: There is no provision of any piece of legislation that would promote euthanasia of any kind.

The rumors out there are flat out lies. Right now Medicare does not cover counseling for end-of-life care. The portion of the bill in question would simply provide coverage for optional end-of-life consultations with doctors, so that the patient can be aware of all of the treatment options on the table. It is not mandatory and it has nothing to do with euthanasia.

FACT #4: We have not endorsed President Obama's plan.

In fact, we haven't endorsed any plan. We are supporting reform of our health care system, something that AARP has pushed for many years. We're working closely with Republican and Democratic members of Congress to lower health care costs and to ensure quality affordable coverage for older Americans - and we want reform legislation passed and signed by the president this year.

So what is AARP fighting for in health reform?

-Stopping insurance companies from charging older Americans unaffordable premiums because of their age.
-Ending the practice of excluding people from insurance because of pre-existing conditions.
-Holding down health costs and making insurance coverage more affordable for all Americans.
-Making prescription drugs more affordable by narrowing the Medicare doughnut hole, bringing generics to market faster, and allowing Medicare to negotiate better drug prices.

Find out more and take action at HealthActionNow.org.

Our own Drew Nannis took to the pages of the Washington Examiner to respond to an editorial the Examiner ran earlier this week.

"The truth is, and especially in Washington, you just can't please all of the people all of the time. And yes, this is a variation on a phrase often attributed to Republican President Abraham Lincoln, so perhaps AARP will be accused of siding with a particular political party (although Tapscott referred to us as "liberal") but that's just the way it is in this town.

Unfortunately, many people behind the deceptive machines who are working to stop health care reform are trying to vary this memorable phrase even further, working around the clock to "fool all of the people all of the time". They are stopping at nothing to spread myths about health care reform and employ scare tactics to deceive the masses."

Drew does a great job of putting AARP's role in the health care reform debate in context. Read the whole thing.

From our Health Care Action Now campaign, where you can find more info.

Myth: Health care reform will hurt Medicare.

Fact: None of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services.

Fact: Health care reform will lower prescription drug costs for people in the Medicare Part D coverage gap or "doughnut hole" so they can get better afford the drugs they need.

Fact: Health care reform will protect seniors' access to their doctors and reduce the cost of preventive services so patients stay healthier.

Fact: Health care reform will reduce costly, preventable hospital readmissions, saving patients and Medicare money.

Fact: Rather than weaken Medicare, health care reform will strengthen the financial status of the Medicare program.

Bottom Line: For people in Medicare, health care reform is about lowering prescription drug costs for people in the "doughnut hole", keeping the doctor of your choice, improving the quality of care, and eliminating billions in waste that is causing poor care and medical errors.

From AARP Spokesperson Andrew Nannis:

A number of folks who are tuned in to the health care debate have offered their thoughts in various comment threads on Shaarp Session and elsewhere on AARP.org. We are thankful to everyone who has chimed in to express themselves. That said, a number of inaccurate statements deserve to be corrected for the record - we hope to get to all of them. For example, many commenters seem to think that healthcare reform will somehow put AARP "out of business." If people feel that AARP may someday not work hard for older Americans, well, that's just not going to happen. If, however, you mean that many of the products that bear our name will no longer be necessary, well, you might have a point. AARP has said it before and let's go on the record one more time just for fun: we would happily forgo every dime in revenue we receive through AARP-branded products in favor for a health care system that renders them obsolete.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) recently authored an article in National Review Online on the current health reform debate in Washington in which he argues:

“One particular provision in the Democratic bill has seniors worried, and rightly so. A new 'Center for Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation' could ration access to medicines and treatments based on the government's assessment of the value of a human life and the 'cost-effectiveness' of treatment.”

The charge is false but this kind of thinking has nevertheless resulted in some irresponsible commentators going so far as to suggest the House bill will result in government sponsored euthanasia.

It's time to debunk this myth.

Sen. Brownback is talking about "comparative effectiveness research." Comparative effectiveness research is simply a wonky term that means the ability to compare different kinds of treatments to find out which one works best for which patient. It is a way of improving the quality of our health system. Such research requires standards and funding. AARP supports comparative effectiveness research provisions in the health reform bills in Congress

Comparative effectiveness research would not limit doctors and hospitals from providing the best possible care to their patients. In fact, this research would do the opposite--giving doctors the best information available to make health care decisions with their patients. This research is designed to also empower patients--giving them more and better information so they can make better decisions with their doctors.

The bottom line is that AARP will not support any legislation that gets between patients and their doctors. Period.

While our country spends more than $2 trillion a year on health care, we spend less than 0.1 percent on evaluating how that care works compared to other options. AARP believes spending more money on research will improve our health delivery models.

What makes the "rationed care" charge so risible is that opponents of the comparative effectiveness provision used the exact same argument against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act last February. "One new bureaucracy, the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, will monitor treatments to make sure your doctor is doing what the federal government deems appropriate and cost effective. The goal is to reduce costs and 'guide' your doctor's decisions," critic Betsy McCaughey wrote at the time. Given Ms. McCaughey's position as a Director of a medical device maker - an industry that stands to lose billions of dollars in sales of equipment that might be determined as ineffective - we would hope there is no conflict of interest in her outspoken criticism.

It should be noted that the stimulus act hasn't denied treatment to anyone. But that hasn't stopped critics from dusting off the old fear mongering playbook.

Health care is too important for this kind of partisan rhetoric. Let's have a conversation about the issues. Let's talk about what works and what doesn't. But please, let's not make up scare tactics to frighten people from the facts.

There's been some rumors lately about a memo from Speaker Pelosi's office and what it says about AARP and other groups. Drafts of this memo have been posted on various blogs. Last night ShaarpSession called the Speaker's office directly to clear it up for ourselves and were told that what has been published was a draft that had (clearly) not been vetted. Like you, we were skeptical, but the Speaker's folks were good enough to share the actual memo that went out to all House Democrats before the recess - sent 7/31/09 at 1:51PM. We posted it below and hope this clears up any confusion

M E M O R A N D U M

To: Democratic Members of Congress

From: House Democratic Leadership

Date: Friday, July 31, 2009

Re: Strategic Communications Plan for August: Health Insurance Reform

Over the last few months, we have made great progress to advance a strong health insurance reform bill through the House, and are closer than we have ever been to taking this historic step for our country. As we prepare for the five-week-long August District Work Period, we must recognize the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in what may be the most consequential DWP we have ever faced.

Winning the health reform debate in August requires nothing less than an aggressive, multi-front effort to control the message and keep the momentum moving forward. The continued focus and effort of every Member is critical to ensuring our success. The following memo outlines the strategic plan for Member action, earned media, and rapid response for August that will enable us to use this month to build support and momentum so we can return in September well-positioned to pass a health reform bill in the House.

Our message is simple. It is in sync with the White House. And it counters the Republican 'government takeover' message. Hold the insurance companies accountable. Remove them from between you and your doctor. No discrimination for pre-existing conditions. No dropping your coverage because you get sick. No more job or life decisions made based on loss of coverage. No need to change doctors or plans. No co-pays for preventive care. No excessive out-of-pocket expenses, deductibles, or co-pays. No yearly or lifetime cost caps on what insurance companies cover.

SHOWING MOMENTUM & DRIVING THE DEBATE

District Health Care Events

Members have already held more than 550 health care events in their districts this year, but we must do more. The Democratic Leadership has prepared a list of suggested district events and materials to help you organize and conduct successful events during the month of August. Press will be notified each week of a sampling of the events occurring around the country to demonstrate that Democrats are using the August District Work Period to advance the health reform conversation and build support for this critical effort. Members are advised to put a 'human face' on health reform by incorporating personal stories into events and communications.

Telephone Town Hall

In addition to the traditional town hall, the telephone town hall is a convenient and efficient tool for you and your constituents to effectively communicate. Hold a health care focused telephone town hall with guests that can help tell the story about why health insurance reform is so important. For instance, hold a call with a doctor from your district or a small business owner whose testimony can provide a powerful narrative on the need for reform. Leadership or committee staff will also be available to serve as a resource on your calls.

Weekly Events

Each week, a national event will be organized to highlight our continued work and progress on health insurance reform. Events will range from a Committee field hearing, a DC-based press event, or events in Members' districts with Leadership or Committee Chairmen. Additionally, press will be informed of continued efforts by Leadership and Committees to move the process forward.

Radio/TV Booking for Members

An aggressive effort to book Members for national and local radio and TV interviews will ensure our message is delivered to both large and targeted audiences. Stephanie Cherry in the Speaker's office serves as the primary booker for the Democratic Caucus and will be working to book Member interviews over August. She can be contacted at (202) 225-0100 or Stephanie.Cherry@mail.house.gov.

Print Press Outreach

Throughout August, a series of press conference calls with Democratic Leadership, Committee and Subcommittee Chairs, and other key Members will be organized with national and regional reporters to offer updates on the reform debate and to explain the components of the Democratic House measure. State and regional delegations are encouraged to organize conference calls with regional media. In addition, communications staff will be working hard to push the human-interest stories that highlight why reform is necessary and how it will benefit the average American. An aggressive effort will also be underway to ensure our message is targeted and tailored to specific audiences.

Hispanic Media

The Speaker's office will work to book Hispanic/Spanish speaking members of relevant committees on Spanish-language radio and TV. Democratic Leadership will also be available to assist with Hispanic-focused district events, including town halls, telephone town halls, and calls with Hispanic media reporters.

RAPID RESPONSE

Tracking Key Members for message delivery on any day of recess.

Health Care Hotline - Leadership and Committee staff will be standing by to help Members and staff with any issue related to health care.

Daily Myth-buster Email to House staff tracking myths and misinformation in the news and including materials to respond.

Truth About Health Reform Website to log opposition myths and provide independently sourced myth-busting and fact-checking research to set the record straight.

INFORMATION & REGULAR UPDATES

Daily Emails from Leadership Offices

· Momentum/In the news roundups

· Daily myth-buster email

· Statements on developments/framing of news

· New polling data

· New studies or reports

· New section for Daily Dose email highlighting August action

Regular Health Care Update Calls

Democratic Caucus calls will be arranged for Members to receive an update on the latest health reform developments and to share news about how the health debate is progressing in their districts. A similar call will also be organized for staff.

Health Care Clearinghouse & DemCom

All message materials, fact sheets and other resources provided to Members and staff are available on the newly-created DemCom intranet (demcom.house.gov) and on the Health Care Reform Clearinghouse: www.majorityleader.gov/members/health_care.cfm. In addition, each of the committees of jurisdiction and the Speaker's office have resource pages on their sites:

· Energy and Commerce Committee

· Ways and Means Committee

· Education and Labor Committee

· http://www.speaker.gov/HealthReform

WINNING ON THE WEB

There are many creative ways to use New Media to help reach new audiences, hear directly from your constituents, and bolster the overall health reform message.

· Facebook - Become a fan of Health Reform on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/HealthReform and use your Facebook profile to share what health insurance reform will mean for your constituents.

· Twitter - Follow the latest news and rapid response at http://twitter.com/healthreformnow and if you use Twitter, retweet messages you want your constituents to see.

· Delicious - Get must read news articles on our delicious feed at http://delicious.com/HealthCareReform.

· Blog - Blog on health reform on your House blog, or guest blog on websites that your constituents read. Invite bloggers in your district to your town halls and other events and ensure they have information they need on health insurance reform.

· Health Reform Web-Page Template - A template for a health reform web page with images and top-line messages will be sent to all offices for easy integration into Member websites. Members can customize with preferred materials, statements, and district-specific information.

· Embeddable Online 'Flash Quiz' for Members to post on their websites, providing users with an interactive tool to learn health care facts and why reform is necessary.

· You Tube - Members can produce their own recordings to post on their website and social networking pages or embed in newsletters. If you would like to record your own video and need videotaping assistance in DC, please contact the Speaker's press office at x67616 or Antonio and Rob in the Caucus office at x51400. Leadership and Committees will also be working to produce video material to highlight the need for reform.

· Online Chats - Leadership is identifying main stream media reporters and bloggers who are interested in conducting live online chats and interviews on health care reform. Members should contact their local media about such opportunities.

· 'Hidden Tax' Clock - Modeled after the National Debt Clock, the 'Hidden Tax' clock would tally the additional dollars families pay to subsidize the uncompensated health care costs of the uninsured (approximately $43 billion overall per year). A graphic for the clock is being developed.

AP just ran a piece on some of the very distortions we're finding in our Health Care Reform Myths and Facts series:

"Confusing claims and outright distortions have animated the national debate over changes in the health care system. Opponents of proposals by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats falsely claim that government agents will force elderly people to discuss end-of-life wishes. Obama has played down the possibility that a health care overhaul would cause large numbers of people to change doctors and insurers.

To complicate matters, there is no clear-cut 'Obama plan' or 'Democratic plan.' Obama has listed several goals, but he has drawn few lines in the sand.

The Senate is considering two bills that differ significantly. The House is waiting for yet another bill approved in committee."

Check out the entire article here.

Some special interest groups have been spreading misinformation to folks in the hopes of killing health care reform legislation; in short, they perpetuate myths and use scare tactics to make people think that reform is a bad idea. (For example, like the contention that health care reform would ration your care, hurt Medicare or be a government takeover.)

So when these myths are being made, we want to make sure we're here to give the correct information to dispel any fears about what health care reform can do for you. And we'll be debunking them every day this week on the blog!

Myth 1: Health care reform is socialized medicine.

Fact: Health care reform will preserve the employer-based health care system, meaning an estimated 200 million Americans will continue to get their coverage through their employers.

Fact: For people buying coverage for themselves, there would be a range of private health plans to choose from. Also, the so-called "public plan" option would seek to give American consumers another choice if they can't find affordable, quality coverage in the private insurance market. The goal of the "public plan" is to give consumers the best value for their money and force greater competition among insurance plans for our business.

Fact: Every proposal that Congress is considering would allow people to choose their own doctors and hospitals.

Health care reform isn't about a government takeover. It's about guaranteeing all Americans a choice of health care plans they can afford.

Check out more info on health care reform here and check in tomorrow for the next myth debunking!

One of the most common questions I'm asked when I meet with volunteers and attend health care reform events is, "We're worried health care reform may go too far. Will we be forced into a plan or have to change doctors?"

In this month's AARP The Magazine, I answer that question but I wanted to share it here, too.

AARP will not support reform that would deny you the freedom of choice to keep your current plan, including keeping your current doctor. That's what AARP's fight for health care reform is all about--creating the kind of quality, affordable, and uniquely American health care system you want.

Those of  you who like your current plan and your doctors have told us in no uncertain terms that you want to keep them. Those of you ages 50 through 64 who have had trouble getting coverage have told us that you're tired of being told you can't get insurance because of an illness you had five years ago, or because of some other preexisting condition, or because of your age. AARP supports reform that ensures Americans ages 50 through 64 a real choice of quality, affordable health care plans.

Those of you on Medicare let us know, in overwhelming numbers, how the Medicare Part D prescription-drug coverage gap--the dreaded "doughnut hole"--is hurting you. Annually, about one-quarter of Part D enrollees fall into the gap, paying so much more for brand-name meds that some people stop taking them altogether. Only 4 percent make it across the gap to the other side, when costs drop substantially.

AARP has endorsed an agreement--brokered by Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.)--between President Obama and U.S. drug manufacturers, who have offered to pay half the costs for most people who reach the coverage gap, as part of health care reform legislation. This could take effect as early as July of next year.

Another serious problem we've been hearing more about lately is that of hospitals discharging older patients without any follow-up, or "transitional," services. One of every five Medicare beneficiaries is readmitted within 30 days of discharge; and one of every three, within 90 days--often because of poor communication between patients, caregivers, and health care providers. We need a benefit in Medicare to help people safely transition to home or another setting to prevent costly and unnecessary hospital readmissions.

Our work is to see that you get more from health care reform, not less. You deserve the peace of mind of knowing you will always have quality, affordable care. But we need your support to persuade Congress to act on AARP's commonsense health care reform priorities. Please visit our health care reform website--healthactionnow.org--to see how you can make a difference in getting to needed solutions.

If you're anything like my friends and family, they love listening to the national debate on all the issues floating around, but what they really want to know is how they will be impacted in Arizona, for example. Below you'll find a smattering of where to find local AARP info. Don't see your state? I'd encourage you to check out Bulletin Today's State Pages as well as the AARP Online Community for more information and resources.

And of course, if you want to take action on health care reform, check out www.healthactionnow.org for events and info on how to reach your local reps.

California info on Facebook, Twitter and the AARP Online Community.

Massachusetts info on the AARP Online Community.

Michigan info on Facebook, Twitter and the AARP Online Community.

Minnesota info on Facebook, Twitter and the AARP Online Community.

New York info on Facebook and Twitter.

Ohio info on the AARP Online Community.

Oregon info on Facebook and the AARP Online Community.

South Dakota info on Facebook, Twitter and the AARP Online Community.

Wisconsin info on Facebook, Twitter and the AARP Online Community.

Did you miss today's townhall with President Obama?

We recorded the event so you could watch it again, or you can read the transcript of the event here.

Got some questions about health care reform? Want some clarity on where AARP stands? Or maybe you're curious about how health care reform will impact you. No matter your question or curiosity get your info straight from the President.

Tune in today at 1:30 p.m. EST for a telephone townhall with President Obama and AARP CEO Barry Rand for a Q&A session with AARP members and volunteers.

You can watch it on the internet here. And share the link to the live video (www.aarp.org/townhall) on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace pages so everyone can learn more.

Thanks to those of you who posted your thoughts in the comments over the weekend. A lot of the concerns posted in the comments are ones we heard during last week's telephone townhalls that we hosted (and more than 400,000 of you attended) so I thought it might helpful if we posted up those questions and answers.

You can check out the whole article from the folks at Bulletin Today here.

From the article as well - here are some of the typical questions and answers fielded during the town hall meetings.

Why is AARP not standing up for seniors when Obama says he will cut Medicare to help pay for health care?
The proposed changes to Medicare will help to get fraud, waste and abuse out of the system and create payment incentives to reward doctors and hospitals for the quality, rather than the quantity, of care they provide. They will not cut the benefits our members rely on in the traditional Medicare program, but will help to keep it affordable to make sure you get the care you need.

Isn't this socialized medicine?
No. In socialized medicine the government directly owns the hospitals and directly employs the doctors. No one in Washington is talking seriously about anything like that. What health reform will do instead is provide people with a system much like the one members of Congress enjoy today. They will be able to choose from a range of quality, affordable private health plans, and possibly a publicly run option as well. These plans will have to accept everyone regardless of preexisting conditions or age. There also will be sliding-scale subsides for people with moderate to low incomes to make sure the coverage is affordable for everyone.

Will I lose access to my doctor?
No. The legislation will include a much-needed fix to the Medicare physician payment system to prevent an unwarranted 20 percent cut in their rates that otherwise would take effect next January and threaten access to doctors. It also will increase pay for primary care doctors to help preserve access to them, and promote training of more primary care doctors and nurses and geriatricians so we have enough health professionals to treat everyone.

Will there be rationing of health care to seniors based on age?
Absolutely not! That's a very harmful myth that opponents of reform are spreading to scare seniors. Nothing in the proposed legislation would lead to rationing of care for older Americans or anyone, and if it did, AARP would be leading the fight to kill it.

Is there mandatory end-of-life counseling for all seniors? Why?
No. This is another myth that reform opponents are using to scare people. What the bill does is let physicians get paid by Medicare for counseling people about things like advance directives, living wills, durable powers of attorney, hospice care and other steps people can take to make sure their wishes about how they want to be cared for at the end of life are known and followed. It's entirely up to the doctor and patient whether this counseling takes place, and completely up to patients whether they take steps based on the counseling to put their end-of-life wishes into legal documents. Facing a terminal disease or debilitating accident, some people want every possible life-saving measure in the hopes that treatment will give them more time with their families. Others will decide that additional treatment is not what they want and decline extraordinary measures. Either way, it should be their choice; all this does is help them make informed decisions about these issues with their doctor.

Will I be losing Medicare as the result of reform?
No. If you like the coverage you have, you can keep it, and that includes Medicare and your medigap coverage. Reform will help curb skyrocketing inflation throughout our health care system, including Medicare, so that Medicare coverage remains affordable for both you and the taxpayers who help foot the bill.

Will I be able to keep my current insurance coverage, which works well?
Yes. If you like the coverage you have, you can keep it.

Will preexisting conditions continue to exclude people from coverage?
No. There is broad, bipartisan agreement that health reform should ban insurers from discriminating against people based on any preexisting health problems.

Here's the press conference from last night. 90% of the focus was on the debate for health care reform

Our friends at AARP Bulletin have put together a very useful document that spells out the details of the current debate in easily digestible prose. This is a great resource for anyone wanting to get a handle on the current state of play of the health care debate.

As Congress wraps up before August recess, this is our last chance to make some serious steps to take action for health care reform - and we're having our very own town hall meetings to discuss and strategize.

In fact, AARP will be holding teletownhalls over the next week (which will be audiocast live!) where AARP supporters and members can listen in to hear what role AARP has been playing in the health care reform debate, answer your questions on reform efforts as well as give you an opportunity to potentially connect with Congress straight from the town halls.

There's not much time left, and health care reform legislation will be moving - let's talk about what we can do to make sure it's prioritized. Sign up and submit your questions for Thursday's townhall!

See the times of other town halls after the jump. You'll be able to hear them live here.

Read More »

This afternoon, President Obama nominated Dr. Francis Collins to lead the National Institute of Health. You might know him from directing the ground-breaking Human Genome Project, or as a recipient of AARP's Andrus Award honoring positive social change.

Be sure to check out AARP Bulletin's fascinating interview with this "guitar-playing, motorcycle-riding geneticist"... and his interview on finding new cures on AARP TV's My Generation. We also sat down with Collins two years ago for Prime Time Radio, talking about the implications of genetic prediction of our future diseases.

How about that. The Associated Press covers the release of new census information showing that by 2050, 1 in 6 people will be older adults:

"The world's population has been graying for many years due to declining births and medical advances that have extended life spans. As the fastest-growing age group, seniors now comprise just under 8 percent of the world's 6.8 billion people. But demographers warn the biggest shift is yet to come. They cite a coming wave of retirements from baby boomers and China's Red Guard generation that will shrink pensions and add to rising health care costs.

Germany, Italy, Japan and Monaco have the most senior citizens, with 20 percent or more of their people 65 and older."

The piece also talks about the health care crisis and how these estimates should be a factor when dealing with health care reform. Check it out.

Photo by Darryl Estrine

Patricia Barry has a piece on AARP Bulletin on health care reform:

"Washington wags like to compare health care reform to a certain kind of cicada--an insect that emerges only once every 17 years, makes a lot of noise and then vanishes underground again. There's a disquieting degree of truth in the joke: Fifteen years have passed since the last serious attempt at reform, led by Hillary Clinton, was buried. Will it be different this time?"

A lot of people hope so. But Barry reminds us that there is much work to be done, and discusses Obama's health care reform plans, including the "public plan" option. She also says that we should recognize that, despite how some may disagree on certain proposals, we generally have the same goal in mind: "to cover the uninsured, reduce costs in the system and change payment mechanisms so that doctors and hospitals are rewarded for the quality of care they provide rather than the quantity of patients they see."

I can get behind that. Check out the entire piece for the lowdown.

Given President Obama's speech to the American Medical Association earlier this week, I wanted to quickly plug AARP's efforts at bringing about comprehensive health care reform. The good folks at AARP's Health Action Now! site have created an interactive map in which users can scroll over testimonials from everyday people about their problems with the health care system.

Here is one typical note, from Roberta H. of Hickory, North Carolina:

"When one of my 8 prescriptions costs $817 for a 28-day supply I hit the "gap" where I have to pay the full price by mid-April!!! And, when a 40-hour stay in the hospital allows them to charge Medicare more than $2,000 just for pharmaceutical costs, the whole system needs drastic change. Last year my pharmacy deductions were more than 1/4 of my Social Security total."

Check out ways you can take action and help influence the debate.

Check out our new ad on health care reform that reminds us just how necessary health reform is!

More health care talk folks...

AARP Iowa held a truly amazing forum with Senator Grassley on April 9th to discuss the urgent need for national health care reform during a "Cost of Doing Nothing on Health Care Reform" forum at North Iowa Community College.

C-SPAN was there to tape it so the rest of us can take a look at it. Tune in tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET to catch it and check in here for the schedule and more information.

Hello everyone. There is no question we have health care on the top of of our minds - the cost of it, the need for it, and reforming it. This issue touches all of our lives. I was recently fortunate to have been invited to the White House's Regional Health Care Forum hosted by Gov. Schwarzenegger and Gov. Gregoire which was hosted in Los Angeles. The forums are part of President Obama's administration's national effort to gain insight and input on the President's own health care plan.

Naturally AARP was in attendance, as it's been for several of the other two-hour sessions where key White House officials spoke about the need for health care reform along with elected officials, business and advocacy leaders.

There were also the painful personal stories that individuals shared and people were able to ask questions both there in Los Angeles and from other communities around California. You can watch the whole two hour event on this YouTube video and you can also express your concerns and suggestions about reforming the health care system at HealthActionNow.com. It's clearly the time to make progress on this complex and challenging issue!

In the Wall Street Journal's money/personal finance/investment blog "The Wallet," Kelly Greene reports that health care costs in retirement are sky rocketing...and the going rate for health care costs are as high as $240,000!! She goes on to point out:

"A 65-year-old couple who retires this year will need about $240,000 to cover their medical expenses in retirement, according to Fidelity Investments research released this week.

"Keep in mind that this eye-popping number is a lifetime estimate and assumes that the couple has no employer-provided retiree-health-care coverage, since many companies are phasing out that benefit. It also assumes life expectancies of 17 years for the husband and 20 years for the wife after retirement."

So what's a guy or gal to do? Experts Greene spoke with advised keeping yourself and your partner in tip top shape no matter your age. So whether it's that diet you've been thinking about, grabbing a walking partner, quitting smoking or heck, training for a marathon now is as good a time as ever to start thinking about your long-term health.

Kevin Pho, a primary care physician and health/medical blogger, recently mentioned AARP's Bill Novelli in an op-ed he wrote for USA Today all about comparative effectiveness research.

In the op-ed, Dr. Pho answers questions like, "How will it help patients? What are some of the obstacles that may impede the initiative? And, should it be modeled after the US Preventive Services Task Force?" Many elected officials and comparative effectiveness research nay-sayers wonder if doctors find any value in something like this...and they clearly do.

Pho goes on to say:

"As a primary care doctor, I am frequently faced with decisions where the choice is not always clear. Do the latest, more expensive drugs work better than the less costly, older medicat ions? Will ordering an MRI help me treat a patient's lower back pain? Often, the answer to these questions is, "I'm not sure."

With new drugs and technologies being introduced regularly, doctors face an increasing array of diagnostic and treatment choices. We need to realize that the latest isn't always the best, and by using data from comparative effectiveness research, physicians can provide the best care for their patients."

We're glad to hear doctors being vocal about how beneficial comparative effectiveness research can be to them, and their patients. As Dr. Pho noted, AARP has been vocal on this issue for some time now (thanks for the shout out!) and we don't plan on letting this one go anytime soon.

Kevin's blog can be found here.

The New York Times has an interesting article about a growing trend - while the general perception is that kids are taken care of, this isn't necessarily always the case. In other words, some school-age kids end up caring for their parents and grandparents.

I don't doubt this will grow even more as the economy suffers. Carol Levine, director of families and health care at United Hospital Fund, says, "Our society thinks of children as being taken care of; it doesn't think of children as taking care of anybody." She also discusses the consequences of children caregivers - on the one hand, caregiving makes help kids develop resonsibility, but others can grow angry and resentful as they sacrifice much of their youth to care for their loved one.

But let's not just recognize the emotional effects of caregiving, but also the ones being cared for. "It is embarrassing for grownups to admit they're so helpless that a child is caring for them," said Kim Shifren, a psychology professor at Towson University.

The good thing about this is that health care programs and organizations are beginning to recognize this issue and create programs to help these kids cope as well as offer them resources. Check out the whole piece for more info.

AARP's CEO Bill Novelli reports to President Obama at the Fiscal Responsibility Summit on the road to sustainability through health care reform. See the clip below and tell us what you think...do you agree? Or disagree?

After signing the federal stimulus bill into law last week, the White House has convened a Fiscal Responsibility Summit. AARP's CEO Bill Novelli is attending to represent AARP's 40 million members. Here's what he had to say about today's importance:

This can't be good. The New York Times reports that new research at John Hopkins University shows that women are less likely to receive kidney transplants than men. This effects older women primarily, even though they recuperate just as well or better than older men after the surgery.

This was no small study; they took data from a list of 563,197 patients who developed end-stage kidney disease from 2000 to 2005, calculating the likelihood they'd get on the transplant list. And while younger women were just as likely to be on a list, they started dropping off the older they got:

They found that women 45 and younger were as likely as men to be placed on a transplant waiting list. But as women aged, their chances of getting on the list dropped, getting worse with each decade, said the lead author, Dr. Dorry Segev, a transplant surgeon at Johns Hopkins.

By the time women were 46 to 55, they were 3 percent less likely to be put on the transplant list. They were 15 percent less likely to be placed on the list at ages 56 to 65; 29 percent less likely at 66 to 75; and 59 percent less likely to be listed by the time they were 75 or older, Dr. Segev said.

The researcher's suggestion behind this is that caregivers, family members and even the patients themselves presume women are weaker than they actually are. I think doctors have to be accountable as well; after all, they're the experts. Either way, to think a stereotype could have this significant of an impact is pretty upsetting. Let's hope this article sheds some light to others and helps change this disturbing trend.

While it’s been quite a dramatic year, older Americans have had many victories to celebrate as 2008 comes to an end. Here are a few reasons we have to celebrate:

• The passage of the economic stimulus package, which will extend stimulus support to about 20 million Americans who depend on Social Security.
• Our Keep Medicare Fair campaign came out victorious when Congress overrode President Bush’s veto of the Medicare reform bill.
• Most recently, a bill that would waive penalties for retirees for mandatory withdrawals in 2009 passed the House and the Senate, now awaiting Bush’s signature.

With that being said, there’s obviously a lot of nervousness about larger looming problems for the new year, such as the future of the economy and the health care crisis. With the new Obama administration to focus on change for this country, what should be America’s resolutions for 2009? More specifically, what issue means the most to you? Take our poll and let’s open up the discussion in comments!

This is crazy. New findings on brain cancer has been a huge deal for leading researchers in the field over the last couple of years, and AARP and Dr. Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa give us a peek into why exactly this is so important.

Dr. Quiñones heads the Brain Tumor Center at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, where he works on research behind the theory that stem cells adult stem cells act as triggers for brain cancer, yet also act have an "uncanny ability to repair damage to their DNA and are therefore able to withstand standard radiation and chemotherapy treatments." This, in turn, allows the treatment to do its work. Quiñones says:

"We were once taught that brain cells die and can't be replaced . . . We now know that the mammalian brain has the ability to regenerate through adult neural stem cells. What we are exploring--and this is the great leap--is whether normal neural stem cells can lose their ability to self-regulate and become dangerous stem cells that create tumors. We are just beginning to understand this link between stem cells and cancer . . . We have to prove that brain cancer stem cells exist. But I think the potential here is real."

But stem cells might not only cause cancer in the brain; new studies are finding that breast, prostate, colon, pancreas, lung and other types of cancer may grow from adult stem cells. Check out the whole article here.

Medicare Part D enrollment starts in just a few days (November 15), so this is the perfect time for AARP to answer your questions.

For those who don't know, Medicare Part D gives you insurance that assists you in paying for prescription drugs. And AARP.org has a special guide to help you choose a plan that's right for you. There is even a glossary of terms. As an intro, here are six important facts you should know about Medicare Part D program:

1. Anyone on Medicare can get drug coverage regardless of income or health.
2. You are not obliged to sign up (but there may be financial consequences if you don't enroll when you're first eligible to do so).
3. To get Medicare drug coverage, you must select one approved private drug plan among many offering different choices. There is no single government plan.
4. Is your income limited? If you qualify for a part of the program known as Extra Help, you'll pay very little for your medications.
5. Are your drug costs very high? You'll pay no more than 5 percent of the cost of each prescription after you've spent a certain amount out of pocket in any one year.
6. Do you have better drug coverage already? You probably won't need Medicare's Part D coverage. But it's wise to check.

Find more here!

This isn't good. According to a new study in North Carolina, only about half of older Medicaid recipients are receiving screening tests for colorectal, breast and cervical cancer. Being the largest provider of health insurance for minority populations, all older recipients should be getting the recommended screenings for folks their age.

C. Annette DuBard, M.D., M.P.H., of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, led the study. Because Medicaid recipients are covered for cancer screenings under Medicaid, she found that this is the primary reason why the screenings weren't actually happening:

"Lack of a screening recommendation by the physician, rather than patient refusal of recommended tests, accounted for most instances of screening delinquency . . . Efforts to increase cancer screening rates among Medicaid recipients must address patient, physician and organizational barriers to the routine identification and delivery of preventive services."

While this research was only done in North Carolina, can we predict that the same is happening for the rest of the Medicaid recipients in the country?

AARP Bulletin has a great article on why Medicare rocks right now.

The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) was passed into law last month, granting new protections and benefits to millions of Medicare recipients. While the media was focused more on the primary aim of MIPPA (which was the 10 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors) and Congress' rejection of President Bush's veto of the legislation, AARP gives us the lowdown on what MIPPA really means for Americans.

Between making many low-income individuals now eligible for Medicare and making mental health care more affordable, this legislation is changing many people's lives. Make sure to check it out.

If you also have a general question about Medicare, you can also check out the Q&As answered by AARP's Ms. Medicare or email her at msmed@aarp.org.

We ain't talkin' about Dunkin' Donuts either. Via Forbes, we find that last year, about 3.4 million Americans enrolled in the Medicare Part D drug plan encountered a gap in their prescription coverage, otherwise known as the "doughnut hole," leading some of them to stop taking their prescribed drugs altogether.

This comes from a new Kaiser Family Foundation study, which found 26 percent of Part D enrollees who filled any prescriptions in 2007 reached the coverage gap. (Not to mention 22 percent who were stuck in the hole for the rest of the year and 4 percent who eventually received catastrophic coverage.)

Poorna from H.M. Press isn't pleased either:

So let me get this straight, our government forces Medicare onto the 65+ age group, but then most of them who are on numerous medications, some of them very pricey, will "fall" into the donut hole, and many of them may never get back up. This is yet another serious problem with our health insurance that needs to be fixed.

The researchers also found that many enrollees also altered their usage of prescribed medication due to the coverage gap. Kaiser CEO and President Drew Altman reminds us that the new presidential administration is an opportunity for change:

"The Medicare drug benefit has produced tangible relief for millions of people, despite the unusual coverage gap that was created to make the benefit fit within budget constraints... But if a new president and Congress consider changes to the drug benefit, it will be important to keep in mind that the coverage gap has consequences for some patients with serious health conditions."

Check out some more info on Medicare prescription drug coverage at AARP's policy and research hub.

While Medicare has been through quite a bit of drama this year, there is a simpler question about the health care program we can ask ourselves in the meantime: is Medicare speaking to its users in a language they can understand? More specifically, is its website user-friendly?

Older Americans use the internet, and use it well; that's no big news to us. But a new study showed that three-fourths of older adults couldn't find a beneficial drug prescription plan on Medicare's website, as well as couldn't seem to figure out a way to sign up for home care service. In short, Medicare's website might not be as easy to navigate than it should be.

The researchers even did a brief training before the 112 participants aged 50 and older began to use the site. Some subjects even stopped searching after a while. Researcher Sara Czaja, co-director of the Center on Aging at the University of Miami Medical School, says, "There are some problems ... some design features with the site that make it difficult for people to use, and they can't get the maximum value out of it," adding, "Some of them just gave up trying."

A CMS spokesperson said that while they've done their own extensive research to make sure the site's navigation is easy to handle, and "[m]ore research is probably needed to assess the usability of the site, and should be performed by people who have a basic understanding of the size and complexity of the program."

Speaking of questions about Medicare, AARP.org has a feature up, "Ask Ms. Medicare" with this week's question: When should I sign up for Medicare? Check it out!

This is sort of outrageous.

A study is Maryland found that "[p]atients older than 65 are much less likely to be taken to a Maryland trauma center than younger patients with the same medical emergencies." After studying 26,000 trauma patients statewide from 1995 through 2004, Johns Hopkins Schools of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health discovered that unconscious age bias may be a factor in the disparity of immediate trauma treatment between younger and older folks. Ya think?

Considering the size of the study in the state, I wouldn't be surprised if this bias exists nationwide. Via the Baltimore Sun:

The study found that 50 percent of patients 65 and older were not taken to trauma centers as opposed to 18 percent of younger patients. While the disparity was notable for patients 65 and older, researchers found that it began at age 50.

The article delves into potential reasons why this bias might exist, like the fact that for young surgeons, an older patient's fall is less exciting than a gunshot wound by a younger victim, or that diagnosing elderly patients might be more difficult since older folks tend to have more general aches and pains. And I say those are pretty horrendous reasons to prefer one trauma victim over another. Maybe it's just me, but the level of excitement or difficulty shouldn't be deciding factors when it comes to saving lives.

It was such an important moment for us as AARP to be so visible and present at this Medicare rally at the Capitol. Seeing members from both sides of the aisle come together to assure that important provisions of Medicare are preserved and enhanced for this program was inspiring. Most of all we all became more hopeful that we can work on breaking political gridlock and get back on track to secure our collective well being for our country.

We will all benefit from having physicians receive adequate compensation, seeing that the efficiency and safety of using technology for e-prescribing, assuring that our retired military are also cared for and ultimately - older Americans see an overall improvement in their health care.

A big thanks to our many volunteers who were able to be present in their famous AARP red tee shirts..it was a visual reminder to all of our collective voice.

I've been following the blog MedGadget and they recently announced an offshoot called MedPolitics (a blog that gives a voice to doctors). We're wishing them the best of luck and certainly we'll be following them.

Have you heard about the new $40 million campaign in Washington, Health Care for America Now, that's pushing for health care reform and universal insurance coverage for the upcoming presidential election? On the AARP Bulletin, you can see the article, "Coalition pushes for health care reform", where it explains:

"Health Care for America Now's stated goal is 'quality, affordable health care for every American.' The coalition has set out to ensure that health care reform remains a top priority in the presidential and Congressional elections."

Sounds oddly familiar, huh? The Associated Press published an article comparing Divided We Fail and HCAN. Read the article, "Money, ads give health care top political billing," and let us know what you think.

TAGS: Health Care for America Now, Divided We Fail, AARP, health care reform, Associated Press, DWF, affordable health care, health care

The New York Times has a new blog, "The New Old Age: Caring and Coping" penned by the great Jane Gross. Here's the description:

Thanks to the marvels of medical science, our parents are living longer than ever before. Adults over age 80 are the fastest growing segment of the population, and most will spend years dependent on others for the most basic needs. That burden falls to their baby boomer children, 77 million strong, who are flummoxed by the technicalities of eldercare, turned upside down by the changed architecture of their families, struggling to balance work and caregiving, and depleting their own retirement savings in the process.

Between Gross' insight and the Times' readership, I don't doubt The New Old Age will foster some great discussion on this intergenerational struggle; make sure to check it out.

AARP's own John Rother sat down with Dr. Val of Revolution Health to talk about all things health.

They talked about how technology is changing health care...health care reform...and how online communities can help people achieve health goals!

Champ would be proud. On Wednesday, a bi-partisan group of legislators in Congress overwhelmingly passed the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.

You, the grassroots, are largely responsible for this achievement. But we can't yet rest on our laurels. We still need to take action: President Bush is threatening to veto this critical legislation that would protect millions of Medicare beneficiaries as well as the thousands of doctors that are involved in the Medicare program.

Our friends at Keep Medicare Fair have all the tools you need to keep the pressure on our decision makers. If push comes to shove, we will have to mobilize to force congress to override a possible veto. In the meantime, tell President Bush to sign the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 into law immediately.

Led by the dramatic and emotional return of Senator Ted Kennedy, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the House-passed Medicare bill by the score - er, um count of 69-30.

The Senate vote - like the House's passage - is strong enough to override President Bush's promised veto.

AARP CEO Bill Novelli issued a statement praising the bipartisan support that passed this bill in both chambers of Congress. Bill noted that "[this vote] shows what can happen when leaders in Washington break through partisan gridlock."

Make no mistake about it - this vote also shows what can happen when people at the grassroots get involved.

The fact is that today's Senate vote was a mulligan. Two weeks ago, the same legislative body came up one vote short on the same bill. So what changed the math? You did - and I think Senator Kennedy would agree.

Since the start of the Keep Medicare Fair campaign, AARP volunteers have called, emailed or signed petitions to their Senate offices more than 780,000 times. And when the Senate left Washington last week after failing to pass the bill the first time around - you made sure to share your thoughts in person with them at July 4th parades and community events.

Like the roar of the crowd when Senator Kennedy walked onto the Senate floor, the Senate heard you loud and clear.

Medicare enrolled its first members 42 years ago today, forever changing health care for older Americans. But today is also the deadline for Congress to pass legislation that keeps Medicare fair. Well, Congress left town over the weekend, and they still haven't passed a bill.

First things first, though: if you have Medicare, don't panic. You can still see your doctor while Congress works out the details.

But we also need to tell Congress to act quickly when it returns. Lawmakers will only have a few days to pass a bill that keeps Medicare fair. So call your senators at [get a number from Barry, maybe?] and tell them to pass H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act.

Tommy Thompson and Senator Daschle recently spoke about health care in our country at the 6th Annual John M. Templeton, Jr. Lecture on Economic Liberties and the Constitution presented by AARP and the National Constitution Center. The event is also going to be replayed on C-SPAN's American Perspectives at 6:45pm ET on July 4th.

Check out our exclusive chat with them - they even offer a few ideas about how you can do your part to help fix health care...

We talked about Electronic Prescribing not too long ago. It brings Silicon Valley and health care together, and makes this blogger squeal with delight.

Imagine if your prescription was ready at the pharmacy before you even leave the doctor’s office. Even better, imagine automatic reminders when a cheaper generic drug is available. And imagine getting immediate notice if a new prescription could have dangerous interactions with a drug you’re already taking. These are just some of the promises of e-prescribing, which The Wall Street Journal touched on.

The Journal’s Health Blog points out a couple of the roadblocks...like the fact that the DEA has forbidden electronic prescribing of controlled substances. Even though e-prescribing actually produces better records than pen and paper, doctors can’t prescribe pain killers and other controlled drugs electronically. That’s a big red flag to doctors that don’t want to keep paper and electronic systems running together. Fortunately, the DEA is starting to respond to pressure to fix that..

So how can we make e-prescribing a reality? Encourage your doctor to make the switch, and let your representatives and senators in Congress know that you want them to support electronic prescribing legislation that will make it easier and safer for you to get the prescriptions you need.

ShAARP Session invited Senators Baucus and Grassley - the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, the Committee in charge of Medicare in the Senate - to guest blog. Below you'll see each of them explain their respective bills to you. Now you have the chance to respond to them with your thoughts and concerns.

The following statements from Senators Baucus and Grassley regarding their competing Medicare bills are
unedited and do not reflect AARP's position.

If Congress doesn't act, the physicians who treat Medicare patients will face a 10.6 percent pay cut, effective July 1. Such a dramatic cut would very likely hurt older Americans' access to their doctors. A big number of doctors might stop dealing with Medicare altogether.

The Republican bill prevents the cut and gives a small payment increase to keep doctors serving Medicare patients. The physician payments are the same as in the Democratic leaders' bill. Neither bill is more generous than the other to doctors.

The Republican bill has several other Medicare improvements. It increases payments to doctors who report quality data to the government to help link payments with quality. It promotes value-based purchasing, e-prescribing to reduce medication errors, and electronic health records. It includes responsible proposals to preserve Medicare access in rural areas, including much-needed payment improvements for rural hospitals and home health care. It returns the ownership of oxygen equipment to the supplier, not the beneficiary, so the beneficiary doesn't have to get the equipment serviced. It cracks down on abusive sales tactics by Medicare Advantage plans and makes plan quality information available to beneficiaries for comparison shopping. It improves cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, renal care, diabetes prevention, and outpatient therapy. It extends programs to help low-income seniors and families.

Unlike the Democratic leaders' bill, the Republican bill does not:
* cut payments for power wheelchairs;
* reduce payments for oxygen;
* make large, unwarranted cuts to Medicare Advantage, altering policy decisions designed to maximize patient choice;
* eliminate the fund that Congress specifically created to help avert future physician cuts; or
* expand eligibility for low-income Medicare programs, which although well-intentioned, would increase long-term entitlement spending and expand coverage under an already fiscally challenged program.

Maybe most important, the President will sign the Republican bill. The President would veto the Democratic leaders' bill. Meanwhile, the Democratic leaders walked away from bipartisan negotiations and put a timely outcome of this effort in jeopardy. The Republican bill does everything Medicare beneficiaries need to protect their access to
doctors and prevent a physician revolt. There's nothing in it that Democratic leaders would find objectionable if they put aside their political lens and looked at it as Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers.

The following statements from Senators Baucus and Grassley regarding their competing Medicare bills are unedited and do not reflect AARP's position.

The laws governing Medicare have a big influence on seniors’ access to health care, and on the quality of the care they receive. As Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I’ve introduced the “Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008” to update Medicare laws and make the program work better for every single American senior. It’s the best bill Congress can pass for seniors this year.

The Baucus bill starts by helping more low-income seniors get help with their Medicare premiums. It has incentives for more primary care doctors to take Medicare patients. It allows for more preventive care in Medicare, to keep seniors healthier, and lowers co-payments for mental health services. It provides more money to rural hospitals, ambulance services, and other facilities to make sure seniors get quality care no matter where they live. It cracks down on shady marketers selling seniors on private plans they don’t need or want. And it makes sure local pharmacists get paid promptly for dispensing medicines under the drug benefit, to keep affordable medications available everywhere.

The Baucus bill is responsible, too, paying for these improvements with smart savings found elsewhere in Medicare. It’s important for you to know that these savings in no way endanger any senior’s access to health coverage, health care, or medical equipment. Rather, savings come from strengthening the rules applied to private fee-for-service plans – which are paid 17 percent more than the amount paid to other Medicare providers – and by reducing overpayments to wheelchair and oxygen providers, who sometimes receive more than 1000 percent of the cost of the equipment they supply. In most cases, these changes will even reduce seniors’ out-of-pocket co-payments while also saving taxpayer dollars.

The President threatens to veto this bill, but I believe Congress should do the very best it can for seniors, and pass the Medicare bill that does the most for all who use the program. The Baucus bill goes the extra mile – particularly for rural and low-income seniors – while giving doctors a decent payment increase that won’t explode costs or inflate premiums. And the Baucus bill saves money in Medicare without endangering anyone’s access to care. I’ll work with other Senators and even the White House to get a good bill signed into law. But the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act is the right start to make Medicare better for every American senior.

Bill Novelli, AARP's CEO, sounds off on today's Medicare vote:

“Eight in ten older Americans are concerned about their health care bills; even more are worried about what those bills will be in the coming years. It’s unfortunate that some senators voted to block debate on real, positive changes to our health care system.”

To see what else he had to say click here.

Yesterday we said we’d let you know if your senator voted to Keep Medicare Fair for you, and today we’re posting the record of their votes. Click here to see how your senator voted.

Feel free to sound off here, or give your senator a call and let them know how you’re feeling.

Many of your have heard about our effort to Keep Medicare Fair. With premiums skyrocketing over the last decade, AARP is working to make sure inaction in Congress doesn't add up to big jumps in your health care bills.

Congress has been listening to you and to us, and they're getting somewhere. Tomorrow, the Senate is scheduled to vote on a Medicare bill that AARP gave a thumbs up to earlier this week (link to article or press release). That bill keeps premium increases reasonable, improves help for low-income people in Medicare and creates a national system for electronic prescriptions to help lower the chance of a mix-ups with your drugs.

Thursday's vote won't decide whether or not the bill passes, but it will decide if the Senate can continue to work on this particular bill. They need 60 votes to keep moving forward with this bill to keep Medicare fair for you. If we don't get 60 votes, we're starting all over, and creeping closer and closer to the June 30 deadline for a Medicare bill.

SHAARPSession is going to watch Thursday's vote, and we'll report the results right here, so you'll know right away how your senators voted. In the meantime, visit KeepMedicareFair.org and call or e-mail your senators. Let them know they need to Keep Medicare Fair.

And if you have a story to share about your rising health care bills, sound off in the comments. We want to hear from you.

CNN Health Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is reported yesterday that she recently learned her insurance company was storing her health records online. She seemed a little concerned she didn’t know about that—and she has a point. It’s tough to know what standards her insurance company is using and how secure her records really are.

At the same time, AARP was on Capitol Hill yesterday talking to congress about how to make sure medical records are safe, but also make sure your doctors have access to the information they need to keep you healthy.

Electronic health records and health information technology (or Health IT if you're saving time) have been proven to reduce mistakes and improve efficiency when it comes to health care. That saves lives and money, but only if the government sets standards for security and interoperability.

Now, your bank card wouldn’t be very useful if it didn’t work at all ATMs and your health records won’t do much good if they’re locked on a computer in Albuquerque while you’re on vacation in Hawaii.

Check out Newsweek.com’s "A Guide for Caregivers." Author Joan Raymond offers tips on medical, financial, legal, and housing issues you can discuss with your aging relatives and points to additional helpful resources. Before you join the ranks of the approximately 20 million Americans taking care of their families and their aging parents – what we at AARP call the sandwich generation – it’s important to open a dialogue about these issues with your parents. You can also visit AARP's caregiving page or pick up our book, Caring for Your Parents, at Borders for more information.

Recently on ShAARP Session we wrote about the Keep Medicare Fair Campaign. We've had a tremendous response - 200,000 180,000 plus petitions signed and counting. But this isn't just about the numbers, so I thought I'd share with you one of the personal stories we've received.

"I am 70 years old and live on a fixed income of approximately $24,000 a year. I pay just under $2,000 for Medicare and a supplementary insurance plan plus an additional $400-500 for prescription medications. This year, my supplemental insurer has increased the co-payments for medications and deductibles, so my basic cost in the coming year will increase to over $3000. And this is for basic well-care. I worry constantly that I will not be able to afford treatment if I should become seriously ill."

- M.T.

She's not alone in her fears. Hers is just one of many heart wrenching stories - people are suffering because of higher premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. We need to do all that we can to make sure that their voices are being heard. Congress is expected to act on the matter very soon. So what are you waiting for - go sign the petition already!

Today, the LA Times reported that the price of health insurance for people who get coverage through work jumped 30 percent between 2001 and 2005. Thirty percent. And wages were up just 3 percent. While we might want to beat up on insurance companies, there’s a much bigger problem. The cost of health care is out of control. I’ve blogged about how the increases in the cost of health care pales in comparison to the increase in the cost of living. And who pays for it? You and me.

Health care is the theme of the week. Probably one reason is that it is Cover the Uninsured Week. Now why are people uninsured? Lots of reasons – don’t think they need it, don’t think they have access to it, but most important is they can’t afford it.

On the campaign trail, there has been some discussion of the key issue here – the skyrocketing cost of health care. Senator John McCain spoke about it both yesterday and today, emphasizing the role of personal responsibility in health care. No one can dispute the importance of this. In fact, every candidate has a nod to better behaviors (eating less junk, exercising more) in their plans. It’s all good.

But where is this in the national media? Almost nowhere! Instead of the substance focused on the things that impact people’s everyday lives, we are left to tune into the bickering and melodrama that has seemed to envelop the spin cycle. Elizabeth Edwards wrote about it for the New York Times on Sunday, but today we’re still seeing the same old thing play out. Who isn’t sick of it?

From the Huffington Post: Can you believe this? “Harry Lee Hawk” McGinnis is 80 years old and in the process of walking across the world. He walked through the US in the 1980s and then in the early 90s, he began his quest around the world. Currently in Panama City, you can track the Hawk on his website. If this isn’t a testament to the importance of staying active, I am not sure what is.

Interesting read from the San Francisco Chronicle today about the age gaps in the electorate. While the piece talks about the different perspective on age, it digs a little deeper and brings up the issue of socioeconomic status. According to The Numbers from ABC News, it appears that how much you make is a bigger factor than how many years you’ve got. This is a valid point, especially when you consider that key issues like health care and financial security are both connected to your finances. Regardless of age, everyone is concerned about skyrocketing health care cost, but especially those who are struggling the most financially. As for financial security, it’s no different – those who are the most concerned are those who feel least secure today.

For those of you who are doing your part to stay young, it looks like drinking up just might aid in your efforts. Drugmaker Glaxo Smith Klein is acquiring a company that has been researching the link between a component in red wine and longevity.

Sounds like a good justification for happy hour, but whatever it takes!

Inside E Street, AARP's own TV show, had a chance to talk to all the Presidential campaigns about health care. You can watch the full show online, but what's most interesting is the fundamental difference between the candidates when it comes to how to approach health care.
Here's a highlight:

UPDATE:
Had some YouTube issues, check out videos of each campaign below:

Not endorsing this type of behavior, but check out a new video on health care from Senator Ron Wyden. It will give you a laugh AND give you pause when you think about health care…

New report out today from the Institute of Medicine that says that today’s workforce will not be prepared to handle the aging population. As an explosion of baby boomers start to age, as well people living longer, there’s going to be a larger and larger need for cargivers. The report recommends increasing pay, but also reaching out and helping to educate those who may not formally work in the caregiving field. For many families, the responsibility may fall on them.

There are some good resources out there right now if you are struggling to care for a family member or loved one, start with AARP's caregiving site.

Update: 5:12 PM: Link to the IOM report.

Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former Senator John Edwards, has endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton’s health care plan. You may recall that I blogged about her tousle with Senator McCain earlier this week. In announcing her support this morning on Good Morning America, she mentioned the mandates that are included in Clinton’s plan.

Whether you mandate it or not, at least all the candidates (Clinton, McCain and Obama) agree that something needs to be done.

Last week there was talk on the campaign trail about health care with a back and forth between Elizabeth Edwards and McCain advisor Douglas Holtz-Eakin. Now most of this is inside partisan sniping over if Senator McCain’s plan would cover preexisting conditions, but media attention has the McCain folks working on more details on the Senator’s health care plan.

More thinking on health care reform is welcome news, especially when it comes to more specifics. We need to hear more from the candidates on how they can help those with preexisting conditions as well as how they are going to bring skyrocketing health care costs down.

Medicare and Keeping it Fair. I wrote about AARP’s efforts last week and this week. The good news is that you are on it. I hear that we’ve had 160,000 petitions signed, sealed and delivered. Keep it up!

Last week I wrote about Medicare and today I will write about it again. New website launched today where you can call on Congress to keep Medicare fair. This new website is also part of a larger effort that will include advertising, an article in the AARP Bulletin, and action by AARP’s legions of grassroots activists. Join the fun!

I said it last week and I’ll say it again - Jacking up Medicare premiums because Congress has repeatedly failed to fix a flawed system just doesn’t sound very fair. Excessive premium increases could price people on Medicare out of getting the care they need most.

I’m always happy to bust myths about technology and the 50-plus set and here’s another one. New studies out today find those who are 65 plus are willing to embrace technology to allow them to age at home. This makes perfect sense, since 90 percent of people want to live at home as long as possible. Technology can monitor a person’s physical condition, dispense medicines, or even provide a social outlet for folks who may be stuck at home.

While there are concerns about cost (as always when it comes to health care), people clearly recognize the value of technology in caregiving. Sounds like a new way to have some peace of mind and grapple with aging family members.

It’s coming… in June, Congress will decide whether to increase Medicare premiums yet again to cover the cost of paying doctors more. Jacking up Medicare premiums on seniors because Congress has repeatedly failed to fix a flawed system just doesn’t sound very fair.

Since 2000, the monthly premiums people on Medicare pay has more than doubled and most of these folks have no other option for health care coverage. And paying monthly Medicare premiums is just the tip of the iceberg. .. overall skyrocketing health care costs sting people who are on fixed incomes the most. This typically includes those who are receiving Medicare, with the 65 plus population having an average income of just $25,000 a year. Not much when you have to not only pay premiums, but for things like prescription drugs, deductibles, co-payments, hospital visits.

At the end of the day, 44 million Americans rely on Medicare for affordable health coverage. Excessive premium increases could price people on Medicare out of getting the care they need most.

Washington needs to start tackling the core of the problem, the outrageous cost of health care. But in the interim, they shouldn’t put excessive costs onto seniors because of Congress’ failure to act.

It’s early, so I will rain on your parade and get it over with. Yesterday, the Social Security and Medicare Trustees report brought us some not very good news. The Cliff Notes version is that Medicare is facing a tough future, one that's not likely to get any easier if we contine to ignore the elephant in the room: skyrocketing heatlh care costs.
And Social Security also faces a tough outlook. It is a reminder that it’s time for our political leaders to get to work on our nation’s problems. Bottom line, the sooner we tackle these problems, the more feasible the solutions.

People say they are ready for the solution – a new survey out this week by the AFL-CIO on health care says it all. According to U.S. News and World Report:

Among those surveyed, 95 percent said health care in America needed fundamental change or a complete overhaul. Seventy-four percent of 18- to 29-year-olds said health care was a very important election issue, as did 80 percent of 50- to 64-year olds.”

Sounds like pretty much everyone is ready for a change.

Angie’s List, an online tool for consumers to rank painters, plumbers and the like is now creating forums for their users to rank physicians, dentists, pharmacies and health insurers. According to the Indianapolis Star, the founder of the company said this came from customer demand, with nearly three quarters of the website’s customers requesting the information. While Angie’s List is not the only group in the health care ranking business, this new venture is certainly taking a new approach to health care by lumping it in with other types of consumer providers.

Information is power and can help consumers make smarter choices about their health care. That being said, as we all know an experience whether with a doctor or an electrician is certainly a subjective process. Caveat emptor!

Bad News - the Supreme Court today declined a request to review a federal rule that would allow employers to reduce or eliminate health benefits for retirees when they reach 65 and become eligible for Medicare. AARP has challenged the rule in lower federal courts, but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finalized and published it late last year.

Aside from being age discrimination, the EEOC rule ignores the skyrocketing cost of health care. It shifts costs onto older retirees who often have limited incomes and have been facing higher premiums and out of pocket costs in Medicare. And don’t forget, this just puts further strain on a health care system that is struggling because of exploding costs. Pretty lame.

New research out of the Harvard School of Public Health today says just over half of Americans think health care in the U.S. may not be as good as other nations. And when it comes to costs, America received less than stellar grades with just 40 percent of Republicans, 19 percent of Democrats and 22 percent of independents saying the U.S. did better on affordable health care than France, Canada and Britain.

Sounds like some dissatisfaction with the status quo. Now we just need people to actually let their elected officials know about it.

I try to keep up with the activities of our colleagues across the nation and what’s been coming up lately is a number of surveys about health care. A sample for you:

- In New Jersey, 79 percent of those in the state think everyone should have access to affordable quality health care.

- In Iowa, 93 percent think everyone should have access to affordable quality health care.

- In Hawaii, 60 percent of residents believe the state’s health and long term care services are in crisis.

Health care, a problem everywhere.

The budget process is creeping along in Washington. While this may seem like a snoozer to some, it is pretty important in terms of locking Congress in to spending and/or cutting. To this end, they’ve got to do this thing right. Doing it right means rejecting the deep Medicare and Medicaid cuts proposed by the Administration and moving toward reducing America’s skyrocketing health care bill in both programs.

Bottom line, if Congress is spending our money, they should be spending it on things that matter, like improving health care and financial security for everyone.

Drugs ain't getting any cheaper. I know you know this, but there's a report out today by AARP to back up the pain you're feeling. In fact, drug companies have substantially raised prices on 220 brand name prescription drugs most commonly used by people in Medicare Part D since the implementation of the drug benefit four year ago.

Ouch! When you dig in the news is especially grim - the prices of brand name drugs most commonly used by people in Medicare Part D rose by an average of 7.4 percent in 2007 - nearly two and a half times the rate of general inflation. The average cost of drugs to treat chronic conditions (like asthma and diabetes) exploded from $80 per year per prescription in 2002, to $151 in 2007.

Check out the full report. What stinks is that these skyrocketing prices increase the likelihood of higher insurance premiums and the chance that people will fall into Medicare's coverage gap (also known as the donut hole). Everyone needs help with drug costs, which is why it's time for things like importation and speedy introduction of low cost generic drugs.

An update from Google on Google Health, their effort to create a product for electronic medical records that’s worth reading about and keeping an eye on. I’ve talked a lot about the benefits of electronic medical records, so read about what the googlers are planning on doing.

Yesterday’s NY Times opined about the Medicare debate. It’s a little in the weeds on the policy front, but they do mention some good ways to help with soaring health care costs across the system: electronic health records and paying doctors for the quality of their care. These ideas are right on because they address the broader issue in the health care system, costs.

What they also mention - forcing high income beneficiaries to pay more for drugs- does not help with the larger issue. Beneficiaries already contributed their fair share through higher payroll and income taxes throughout their lives. To boot, they are paying a second tier of taxes on their Social Security benefits for the Medicare program. And they are already paying more for doctors, with their premiums doubling since 2000. If you’re working past age 65, you may even get hit by this proposal.

Ultimately, the sentiment of the Times is laudable, but trying to lower costs this way is no way to reform healthcare.

AARP today announced it’s 2008 legislative agenda and it includes some important stuff that lawmakers need to work on this year. You can read the whole thing, but I’ll give you the Cliff Notes version. The big thing is modernizing and improving health care and containing costs by supporting things like health IT (including e-prescribing) and greater reliance on evidence-based medicine. Not to be forgotten is strengthening Medicare and Medicaid; expanding health coverage not just for children (SCHIP), but also the 50-64 set; and making prescription drugs more affordable.

Your pocketbook shouldn’t be forgotten either. The focus on the financial side will include getting lawmakers to establish programs in the workplace that help Americans save for retirement, like automatic enrollment in IRA and 401(K) plans and greater use of payroll deduction through the work place. Other things include broader protections for consumers from financial fraud and abuse and improved transportation and housing options for older Americans. On housing issues, protecting funding for federal housing programs and promote more affordable reverse mortgages will take front and center. And don’t forget about working for better utility regulations and more affordable energy.

Phew, that’s a lot of work…

In the dark of a Friday night before a long weekend, the Administration proposed a non-solution to exploding health care costs – raise premiums on those in Medicare. Unfortunately, this ignores the elephant in the room, the entire health care system needing reform. I’ve written about this a dozen times, but the entire health care system need attention and is the cause for the explosion in Medicare spending.

Before completely dissing the proposal, there is some interesting stuff in the White House’s proposal that are worth a look. Things like electronic medical records and paying doctors for quality, not quantity. These types of measures would be helpful in lowering costs in the entire health care system, not just Medicare.

Enough tiptoeing around the edges; it’s time for a real solution on health care.

We just got the neatest letter from First Lady Laura Bush “thanking us for the opportunity to discuss women’s heart health” in AARP Bulletin this summer.

It seems Mrs. Bush got a phone call from a nurse whose patient’s life was saved because she read the article! This is a great story – here are a few excepts from the First Lady’s letter:

“The patient arrived at the emergency room 30 minutes after she began feeling chest pains. She told the nurse that the day before she had read the Bulletin’s article describing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack in women. She also mentioned she would feel silly if her chest pain was not a heart attack,

“Within 20 minutes of being at the hospital doctors determined that she was indeed having a heart attack and they began preparing her for a cardiac catheterization. She suddenly became unresponsive … and the team of doctors quickly responded by shocking her heart two times. She was stabilized and the doctors went on to perform a cardiac catheterization …

“Within 50 minutes of the onset of her symptoms, her heart had gone into a rhythm that could have caused her death if she had not read the AARP Bulletin and recognized the signs…

“This patient’s personal story highlights the importance of raising awareness about heart disease in women. Keep spreading the word – together we can continue to make a lifesaving difference!

“With best wishes,
Laura Bush”

I hate to be so cheesy, but I’m reminded of AARP’s motto, “The power to make it better.” It feels pretty darn good to be a part of this organization. We were so proud we had it framed and are looking for a prominent place to hang it for everyone to see.

You may remember that last year AARP called on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) to fully release the list of the poorest performing nursing homes in the country. We just think that families have a right to know that the care their loved ones receive may be sub-standard.

Well, the list is out and there are about 130 facilities on it. To see if your loved ones nursing home is on it, click here (pdf).

Yes, I’ve written about it before. And yes, I am going to talk about it again – Medicare and Medicaid. Our growing fiscal stress is not really about the coming retirement of the baby boomers, but the ever exploding cost of health care for everyone. Check out the graphic below, courtesy of the Congressional Budget Office. Thanks to Ezra Klein, who wrote about it here.

How can Washington solve this? Tackle the skyrocketing cost of health care for everyone.

The White House's proposed federal budget came out today and it isn't pretty. Among the ugliness is a proposed $200 billion cut to Medicare and Medicaid over the next ten years that just ignores the real reasons for skyrocketing healthcare costs and instead passes along higher out-of-pocket costs and potentially fewer services. Another painful cut comes in the $570 million slashed from heating and energy assistance, which would leave one million low income households out in the cold.

One ray of sunshine is some additional Social Security Administration funding, which is a needed first step toward eliminating the disability backlogs and improving service. But overall, this thing needs a rehaul. Thankfully, this is the first step in the budget process and Congress has the opportunity to do a better job.

Many positioned tonight's debate as a showdown, but it was more of a discussion then a debate between Senators Clinton and Obama. There was an in-depth discussion of health care tonight and both candidates brought up a vital piece of any health care reform - reigning in skyrocketing costs. Both candidates agreed this is an important issue and both discussed a range of options to try and manage it. Sadly, it took the end of the debate cycle for the candidates to start discussing some of the specifics in the health care discussion. Things like electronic medical records and preventive measures were discussed tonight and are critical to bringing down the cost of health care for everybody.

Financial issues were mentioned, but lacked the details that voters want to hear about. Right now, economic issues are a huge motivator for people at the ballot box. We know that people are concerned not just about the shaky housing market (since homes are such a critical piece of retirement savings), but also how they can afford to retire. It was a lost opportunity for these candidates to overlook these issues tonight.

While tonight's debate was less contentious than last night's, the questions were more focused on personality than substance. Instead of falling into the trap, the candidates chose a route of talking about the issues instead of swiping barbs. This is a good thing and we can only hope this mature tone is part of things to come.

Last night, Floridians went to the ballot box to select their candidates in the primary. Over 60 percent of those who showed up in Florida yesterday were 50 and over, according to CNN’s exit polling.

In the Democratic race, health and financial security mattered. In the CNN exit poll of Democratic voters, 55 percent overall cited the economy as the top issue. Just as interesting: those who supported Senator Clinton, 55 percent cited health care as the top issue.

Financial concerns were important in the Republican race as well. Florida attorney Justin Sayfie, author of the online Florida political bible Sayfie Review said in a recent interview in National Review online, “Economic issues are at the forefront in Florida, as the cost of living in the state has become unaffordable for many, and we have seen our population growth go flat in the past year. Property taxes and high property insurance rates are top of mind for Florida voters.” He wasn’t wrong. In the same CNN exit poll, 45 percent of Republicans cited the economy as the top issue.

If you thought last night's presidential address was severely lacking on the issues that matter most to Americans, you're right. In fact, an analysis by the National Journal’s Congress Daily showed that the president spent just 10 percent of his 53 minutes on the economy and even less on health care. Meanwhile, our economy is stumbling, more than 47 million Americans don't have health insurance, and millions more are underinsured.

The New York Times editorial board has an interesting blog posting about one of the ways we can start lowering health care costs. It's a fancy term - comparative effectiveness - but it essentially means giving people the ability to research medical treatments to determine which one gives us more bang for our health care buck.

It's a good idea considering that we already know our costs aren't rising because people are getting older; they're rising because of pricey new technologies and services. Why not find out which of those are really worth the sticker price before we pull out the checkbook?

Some new research coming from both ends of the political spectrum point out that the American health care system is broken. The Urban Institute has a new report that says 27,000 Americans died in 2006 because they didn't have health insurance. Meanwhile, The Commonwealth Fund is reporting the U.S.---which spends more on health care than any other nation---ranks dead last in preventing avoidable deaths among the industrialized world. We're spending more and people are getting less. If researchers on both sides agree isn’t it time we see some action from the politicians?

The Center for Medicare Services released a report yesterday (and the Wall Street Journal blogged about it today) which found health care costs growing at a slightly slower rate. It also showed, however, that increases in health care spending are still outpacing both economic growth and general inflation. For the average person, this means health care is less and less affordable.

We can’t ignore the good news in the report : that the new Medicare Part D drug benefit has begun to lower out-of-pocket spending on prescriptions and greater use of generics is also helping to keep costs in check. But it is time to really restrain health care spending system wide with things like adoption of legislation establishing a national health IT system, and beginning to pay for high quality health care services, not just the number of services provided.

Until Washington is prepared to dive in and really address the issue of out of control health costs, we’ll be lucky to see any future small victories like this one.

An interesting story today from WCBS on just how far companies are prepared to go to get their employees to drop a couple of pounds and save them some dough on health premiums- pay ‘em a couple of hundred bucks to do it. It’s an interesting idea and a great example of how everyone can do their part to lower health care costs. And besides, someone paying you to stay on your diet isn’t a bad incentive.

Wow has Congress has missed the boat on health care this year! The package of Medicare improvements winding its way through the Senate only helps Congress get out of town. Instead of taking the opportunity to help Medicare beneficiaries by keeping premiums affordable or permanently fixing the payment cuts that could drive doctors out of Medicare, they punted.

How many times have we seen this? It's time for real action and answers on these important issues. This is the stuff that affects all of us.

This weekend was a big one for health care along the campaign trail: Senator Clinton in New Hampshire getting asked lots of questions, Governor Romney on television talking about the issue of mandates in health care, and Senator Obama and former Senator Edwards sparring over their health care proposals.

It’s good that there’s talk, but it is also time for action. After the Children’s Health Insurance Program was vetoed again last week, it begs the question about how serious politicians are about actually doing something when it comes to health care. Guess the season for determining that is upon us.

An article in the Washington Post this week highlights the perfect holiday gift…. A gift card for health care. Unfortunately, you can't gift your way to decent health.

Mr. Orszag (head of the Congressional Budget Office) in the Wall Street Journal brings us today’s ah ha moment “…we have to pay even more attention to the health-care costs that exert the dominant influence on our fiscal future.” It’s worth checking out the whole piece, where Orszag reminds us that our growing fiscal concerns are not really about the coming retirement of the baby boomers, but the ever exploding cost of health care. He also makes the important point that it is not a Medicare or Medicaid problem – the challenges in health care are system wide and reform is needed to ensure our nation’s long term fiscal health.

Ah ha!

AARP has a new health and fitness ambassador, someone with exceptional expertise when it comes to leading a healthy and active lifestyle. Guess who it is. Here’s a hint – just six weeks before she turned 50, she won the mixed doubles at the US Open.

Give up? It’s tennis great Martina Navratilova! Martina will be engaging with our members throughout the year, talking to them about what she knows best – how to lead a healthy and active life. I hear there is more to come in the coming year, so stayed tuned.

The news today in America is a stark reminder of where we are as a nation when it comes to our health care – it’s pretty bad. Twenty percent of Americans cannot afford their health care according to a new Center for Disease Control report. Government cannot seem to get its act together when it comes to covering kids. And the National Federation of Independent Business Foundation is out today with a report linking a decline in employer sponsored health insurance to new small-business owners. Why? Because they fear rising costs will force them to take benefits away from employees.

People can’t afford it, government can’t afford it, business can’t afford it. It’s time for a change, it’s time for those who want to lead to talk about how they are going to help people.

There’s another debate today and while it is only one half of the field, it is certainly time for these folks to talk about health care and how they are going to solve this crisis. We haven’t heard enough on these issues in the past. It’s time for candidates to step up and talk about the issues our members and all Americans care about – how to help with exploding health care costs.

Last night’s debate is a hot topic this morning on blogs of all stripes for all sorts of reasons (see here and here). But one glaring hole in last night’s discussion was the complete lack of health care questions. Is it possible that no one asked a health care question? That is hard to believe. Did the organizers think that folks are not concerned about their health care? That is even harder to believe. When we poll our members, we consistently see that health care (and financial security) consistently rank as the nation’s top domestic concerns.

A lost opportunity? You bet. These debates should be about the pocketbook issues the majority of Americans care about--not just special interests of a small group of folks. Last night was a lot lacking in that department. This was a shot for both CNN and the candidates to address the number one issue for voters and more specifically, 50 plus voters. And in the last election, one in four voters was an AARP member.

There’s an interesting new poll today out of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, sponsored by AARP, giving the pulse of African American voters just a month out of the primaries.

Two things worth noting:

Respondents named Senator Hillary Clinton over Senator Barack Obama as having the best position of the Democratic candidates on two important issues – affordable health care (47.3 percent to 18.7 percent) and strengthening Social Security (41 percent to 18.6 percent).

Among African American Republicans polled, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani had the favored positions on Social Security (28 percent) and healthcare (25 percent). Senator John McCain ranks a distant second to Giuliani on Social Security and former Senator Fred Thompson ranks a distant second on health care.

Check out a wonderful editorial/blog posting from Brad Warthen, an editorial writer from South Carolina’s The State. Brad recalls not only the misery of a doctor’s visit (who hasn’t endured that one), but more importantly, the need for serious reform in the health care system.

Many of you may be part of the sandwich generation, which includes over 8 million people who are caring for aging parents at the same time as caring for young children. Yesterday, the Today Show did a great report about those who are feeling the squeeze. I blogged about the recent AARP study last week that shows only 40 percent of women have begun to plan for their parents future. I said it before and I’ll say it again… get a plan, have the conversation. You are going to see your mother, father, grandfather, aunt or someone you love over the next few days, so take a minute and ask them how they want to live as they age. And don’t eat too much!

‘Sandwich generation’ caught in middle

For those of you reading that are Medicare recipients (and just to clarify, 13 million of our members ARE boomers), November 15 began the period of open enrollment for Medicare Part D. This means it is time to get smart and choose a plan that works for you. Research shows that people are satisfied with their plans and in order to remain so, folks need to really consider what they need before they choose a plan and make a decision based on what they need.

AARP has a pretty comprehensive list of tips here and the feds do a pretty good job here with a good comparison chart. Check it out and get smart!

Just in case you haven't seen it, AARP is featured in the Huffington Post today. Check it out!

The big story today on health care is a new Congressional Budget Office report about the long-term outlook for health care spending. What do the wise ones over at CBO tell us? That health care costs are skyrocketing (I am actually on hold with the insurance company right now) and costing not just the government, but business too much money. Taken directly from the report:

“The main message of this study is that, without changes in federal law, federal spending on Medicare and Medicaid is on a path that cannot be sustained… the degree to which the system promotes the population’s health remains unclear.”

Sounds like something’s gotta give.

The latest in the healthcare ad blitz is former Senator John Edwards, who is running ads in Iowa on universal health care. Video here.

AARP is cooler than you think. Today they are announcing a new public service announcement campaign featuring Ben Affleck, Garth Brooks, Dakota Fanning, Morgan Freeman, Eva Mendes, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Piven and Reese Witherspoon highlighting the need for affordable, quality health care and financial security for all Americans.

This also brings two new groups under the Divided We Fail umbrella, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF). Directed by actor and director Tony Goldwyn -- grandson of legendary producer and EIF Founder Samuel Goldwyn -- with music composed by Philip Glass, the PSA urges everyone to let their voice be heard on the need for affordable, quality health care and peace of mind about financial security.

New online campaign... if you think so too, click here.

Just in time for Caregiver Awareness Month, AARP has released a survey about those who are doing most of the caregiving – boomer women. Turns out these women are talking to their parents about how they want to live as they get older, but not enough are actually doing the planning. Nearly 70 percent of these women also believe their parents can afford their care, but the reality is that a nursing home can cost as much as $75,000 a year and a private home health aid about $19 an hour.

What does all this mean? It means it is not enough to have the conversation, it’s time to get a plan.

Ray linked to it this morning, but a little more context… yesterday’s Washington Post poll is echoing what we have seen from AARP members in New Hampshire and other primary states– voters see health and financial security issues as the top domestic issues. Today, AARP South Carolina is releasing a poll of AARP members in South Carolina that are likely primary voters with similar results. Both health and financial security are weighting heavily on the minds of voters, now candidates need to propose what they are going to help people manage both of these things.

We're watching so you don't have to... the latest in the health care ad world? Chris Dodd, link here.

Fellow bloggers over at the OMB Watch Blog put in a plug for yesterday’s testimony from AARP’s CEO Bill Novelli. Testimony here and subsequent hullaballoo here and here. Making sure that Social Security is around for the long term is a fixable problem that will involve tough choices for all generations. But the real crisis is the exploding costs of health care, and it’s good to see that there are other people that get it. I am sure this is not the end of this discussion and you can bet we’ll be keeping tabs on it as it unfolds.

Good wrap up from the Kasier Family Foundation yesterday on state of CHIP, as well as some more stories today on the ongoing food fight. Seems the President yesterday continued his campaign against the bill, speaking out against the tobacco tax. Lots of reaction to that also, including AARP.

Today, Senator McCain was at the Families USA and the Federation of American Hospitals Forum on Health Care talking about the importance of the private market in health care. He mentioned the importance of the safety net, as well as bringing down costs.

We’ll keep pressing for more details, but glad he’s out there talking about it.

Today, the Senate Budget Committee is going to be talking about the long term challenges of Medicare and Social Security, with lotsa folks testifying, including AARP CEO Bill Novelli. Starts now, you can watch here.

The candidates are continuing to talk about the issues… Senator Barack Obama has a new ad about Social Security and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani has a new ad on health care. Good to see candidates focusing on health and financial security; we look forward to hearing more about these issues in the coming weeks and months.

Kaiser Family Foundation has a new poll on the issues that the public wants to see Congress take action on. Big shock, the top domestic issue is health care for Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Just another reminder about how important this issue is to voters.

SCHIP is again alive, if only for a short time. Still has to go back through the legislative wringer, but let's keep our fingers crossed for the 10 million kids who need health coverage.

SCHIP is again alive, if only for a short time. Still has to go back through the legislative wringer, but let's keep our fingers crossed for the 10 million kids who need health coverage.

An interesting article this week in The New Republic by Jonathan Chait about what he deems “entitlement hysteria”. He brings up, correctly, that there’s a lot of talk, but not a lot of action in Washington on the long term health of Medicare and Social Security. Chait also argues that the reason for inaction is a lack of urgency and a lack of permanency. While this is somewhat true (nothing will fall apart tomorrow), what Chait is off on is the impact. For many (especially considering the housing market AND lack of savings), Social Security may be even more important in the future. While people still need to save and build a nest egg for themselves, they also need something they can rely on in retirement, which is what Social Security is all about.

When it comes to Medicare, Chait is right on – the biggest challenge to the future of Medicare, and health care more generally, is cost. That’s why it’s time the Presidential candidates start to address this issue, as well as financial security. The cost of inaction is too high, not just for us, but for the next generation.

Ray highlighted it this morning – Larry Lipman’s Medicare Monitor talking about the recent ads by AARP and the AMA on limiting payments to Medicare Advantage plans. What’s it all about? Basically insurance companies are getting paid to the tune of $54 billion while people who receive Medicare have seen their premiums double since 2000. Something is out of whack when the insurance companies are getting the gravy and the Medicare beneficiaries are getting stuck with the bill.

Presidential candidates are out and about chattering about health and financial security. The latest? Senator Biden is expected to announce his health care plan in Iowa today. And former Senator Fred Thompson was just out and about in Florida talking about Social Security yesterday.

It’s great that candidates are talking about these issues, now we need to hear some details. And see some action.

Blogs have been talking about 10 Questions, a new opportunity for people to ask the candidates questions about the issues they care about. It is sponsored by blogs from both sides of the aisle, as well as the mainstream media and looks like it will be quite interesting and, more importantly, another forum to get candidates to address health and financial security.

Intro video below, check it out!

I’m not prone to quoting directly from the hymnal, but today AAEP CEO Bill Novelli called this one right – “Disgraceful.”

This was his comment after the House failed to override the President’s veto of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and I can’t disagree. Millions of children have the opportunity to have health insurance and today their opportunity was denied.

Shameful.

New poll out of Florida today, with AARP members (both Democrats and Republicans) saying that they are likely to change their vote on key issues like health and financial security. What’s really interesting is that voters say they don’t know enough about candidate positions on these issues to make a choice. Sounds like voters are waiting for the candidates to talk about these issues before they are going to make any decisions.

A fresh CNN poll calls it – 61 percent of Americans want Congress to override President Bush’s veto of SCHIP. We’ll see what happens, as the vote is scheduled for tomorrow.

The Kasier Family Foundation has put together a nifty online tool to compare the candidates positions on health care.

I expect this to be one of many of these to be coming down the pipeline, so we'll keep you posted as they come online.

As Ray mentioned below, AP is reporting that the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is 2.3 percent for next year. While an increase is important to help people keep up on the cost of basics, this is not enough to keep up with the ever expanding cost of health care. Medicare premiums are going up 3.1 percent next year, so where are folks on a fixed income supposed to find the other one percent? If you’re still working, this might not be a big deal. But for someone on a fixed income, it can’t be easy.

It has arrived! Widely reported and discussed in the blogosphere – Congressional Republicans have said they are developing a health care plan. This is progress. With everyone agreeing that the current system is no longer working, we are finally starting to move in the right direction.

We’ll keep you posted. It’s clear that whatever solution we come up with have to include the innovations from all parts of current patchwork system, public and private, as well things that people can do to improve their health. It is going to take ideas from all sides to get something done.

Today, the titans of industry have convened for a daylong meeting in Williamsburg, VA to chat about the issues of the day. The focus of today’s event? Health care. It is definitely a sign of changing times that CEOs are talking about this as an issue. When Starbucks spends more on health care than coffee and GM spends more on health care than steel, you know it’s time for a change.

Nice clip here and here from CNBC talking with WebMd and Aetna on the need for changes to the healthcare system, with lots of interesting ideas from the private sector about how we can make health care work for everyone.

IowaVotes 2008 picked up an AARP poll about likely Democratic caucus goers, which shows that health and financial security are top issues. With the caucus creeping ever closer, these results serve as a reminder about how important these issues are to the 50+ voters.

Full survey here.

The cost of health care is impacting everyone. New ads today from two powerful forces, AARP and the American Medical Association, asking Congress to help Medicare patients keep their doctors and still be able to afford their health care. This comes as Congress is looking at reducing payments to doctors, as well as recently announced increased premiums for people in Medicare, many of whom lived on fixed incomes.

Interesting column from Robert Samuelson about Social Security and Medicare. Look, we know all know the programs need to be strengthened so everyone can afford to grow older. Samuelson is missing the full point. As both Matthew Ygleasias of the Atlantic and CBO Director Peter Orszag note, the growing cost of health care is the root of the problem. That’s the real problem politicians need to start addressing.

As reported everywhere in the free world, President Bush has vetoed the CHIP bill. While the rumors had been brewing for days, this really represents a step backwards for everyone. We’ve got a health care crisis in this country and the chance to insure 9 million kids is an opportunity to start addressing the problem.

The latest from NBC is that the White House is open to negotiations. Let’s hear what he’s got.

This week saw the unveiling of two online forums that the Presidential candidates are using to talk about the issues. One, which began on Thursday, brought to us by MySpace and MTV- click here to check it out.

The other, organized by the Federation of American Hospitals and Families USA, feature candidates being interviewed by a panel of prominent journalists from ABC News, National Public Radio, the Wall Street Journal, and the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Click here to see more.

Today the CDC, AARP, and AMA have unleashed a big media blitz to encourage Americans to get their flu shots this fall. I don't need to tell you it's gonna hurt. The good news? You'll get a lollipop and you won't get the flu this winter.

Update from CQ here, but lots of drama in Congress today on SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Congress is close to a reauthorization deal, but it's just not enough when you consider that a whole lotta people who are 65 plus can't afford their drugs and may lose access to their own doctors next year. It’s especially lousy when you consider that if you're on Medicare, your premiums have doubled since 2000. Now I know health care costs are expensive, but it can’t be easy for people who have limited incomes.

Reaction from AARP: Joining with the American Medical Association to run a new round of joint advertisements in DC, asking Congress not to defer Medicare improvements until the last minute. Will post ‘em once I see ‘em.

And so are the days of our lives…