How AARP is Working for You

We joined Patients for Affordable Drugs Now and dozens of other advocacy groups in sending a letter Monday to all U.S senators, urging them to pass legislation to lower drug prices “through increased competition, transparency and accountability.”  

AARP was instrumental in pushing historic prescription drug reforms over the finish line last year. The groundbreaking legislation allows Medicare to negotiate with drug companies and limits out-of-pocket drug costs for older adults in Medicare drug plans. But we continue to fight for more relief from high drug prices, including for the estimated 3.5 million Americans 65 and older who are struggling to afford their prescriptions.

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The federal government’s COVID-19 public health emergency may be ending in May, but older Americans must keep up their guard against the virus and other infectious diseases, a top public health expert told AARP tele-town hall listeners Thursday.

“This is not ‘back to normal.’ This is a new normal,” said Mark McClellan, M.D., founding director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University.

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AARP is up for 11 Shorty Awards recognizing the best on social media and other digital platforms — and we need your votes.

This year’s finalists include AARP’s TikTok and YouTube channels, our Real People, Real Stories video series, our true-crime podcast The Perfect Scam and more.

Each nominee earns a chance to win an Audience Honor award, but April 26 is your last chance to help.

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Three AARP projects, including our true-crime podcast The Perfect Scam and our email newsletterThe Ethel, took home four Webby awards for excellence on the internet.

Our video A Teen Talks About Suicide and What Parents Should Know picked up two awards: a Webby for best social content in the health and wellness category, and a Webby People’s Voice Award, which is based on fan voting.

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Delinquencies on credit cards have been rising for the past two years, along with interest and inflation rates. So we’re urging federal regulators to rein in costly late fees for those who fall behind on their payments. 

We submitted comments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) last week supporting its proposal to limit late fees on credit cards to no more than $8 a month. Currently, those who miss a payment face average fees of $30 or more, according to the CFPB.

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We applaud lawmakers in Washington state and Florida for passing AARP-backed legislation that will expand affordable housing options for older adults.

Washington state legislators approved a bill that loosens restrictions on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), also known as backyard cottages or in-law units, and another that aims to expand midsize housing options such as duplexes and fourplexes.

In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed the AARP-supported Live Local Act, which pumps an additional $711 million into affordable housing programs.

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Studies show oral health can be a key part of healthy aging, yet millions of older Americans have no coverage for basic dental services through Medicare. 

AARP is fighting to change that, which is why we submitted comments to the Senate finance committee’s subcommittee on health care last week urging them to include routine dental care under traditional Medicare.

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Every day, AARP members remind us how much they rely on the Social Security benefits they have earned through years of hard work. AARP will fight to keep Social Security strong for retirees, workers and future generations. 

As lawmakers consider the program’s finances, it is crucial that they recognize its vital role in the lives of women, who make up the majority of Social Security recipients and are more likely to depend on it to pay all their bills.

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