The Patriot's Flag

Today I am flying the South Carolina Flag … all “relatively” quiet on the political front.  AARP (Association  Against Retired People) continues to “dupe” seniors into being members while using their dues money to promote Health Care reform which will devastate senior health care.  Its time for an alternative.

AARP has endorsed the Health Care Reform legislation put together by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.

AARP Website: WASHINGTON, DC, AARP CEO A. Barry Rand released this statement .”This bill meets our goals of improving Medicare’s benefits and making critical health insurance market reforms that make coverage more affordable.”

Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team have been lobbying the lobby for weeks. AARP officials also met yesterday with WH Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and took the proposed endorsement to their Board of Directors.  A public announcement is expected tomorrow or Friday, in advance of a vote by the full House likely to come on Saturday.“Big victory,” summed up one top Democrat. (and the Big Victory….against seniors happened)

AARP Supports Obamacare

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Barton wrote that his group opposes the plan because “a government-run plan would limit patient-doctor choice,” “an employer mandate would kill jobs and lower wages, and paying for the cost with new taxes and Medicare cuts attacks baby boomers and seniors.

“The president told the AARP meeting that opponents are ‘making people scared.’ Well, they ought to be scared at current proposals,” he said, citing congressional analysts’ estimates that the plan will cost up to $1.8 trillion over 10 years. “That’s absurd in a recession, let alone good times.”

“This endorsement is an insult to seniors who depend on this organization to look out for their best interests,” opined Congressman Dave Reichert, R-Wash. “The bill AARP endorses today not only makes drastic cuts to Medicare, but it also could place burdensome taxes on wheelchairs, pacemakers and hearing aids. How, in good conscience, could this be something AARP supports?” questioned Reichert.“

AARP, easily the most influential seniors lobby, is using their clout to get a bill passed that will slash Medicare and ration the health care of seniors,” Philips fumed. “AARP gets the major amount of its revenue from selling insurance, and they do have a dog in this fight.”Phillips believes that backing the House health care reform bill is a deceptive move for AARP, and its endorsement in today’s highly-politicized atmosphere will anger many of its members.

“Instead of protecting their insurance coffers, AARP should be protecting the health of seniors — the very ones they are supposed to help,” Phillips suggested.

• AARP’s endorsement of a proposed health care overhaul that may result in nearly $500 billion in funding cuts to Medicare.
• AARP is “tax exempt” in spite of heavy lobbying. To be tax exempt, it must not back a particular party. (Time to question the tax exempt status?)
• AARP claims to be nonpartisan and says it does not support, oppose or give money to any candidates or political parties.
• AARP spent approximately $9.4 million on lobbying activities during the first half of 2009 not including AARP expenditures through various coalitions such as Divided We Fail and the National Coalition on Health Care.
• AARP has come under fire in recent years for its support of positions which opponents contend are in direct opposition to its stated position as an advocate for older Americans.
• AARP’s gave unexpected last-minute support of the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug Modernization Act.
• AARP has also drawn fire for using its influence in the debate over privatization of Social Security because it had substantial financial issues at stake.
• The AARP decision to support the hotly-debated health care reform proposal has led to questions about the group’s motives.
• As many as three million seniors will lose their Medicare health plan coverage, and three million fewer seniors will enroll in such a plan if the proposed health care changes become law.
• AARP’s support of health care reform also led to a sharp rebuke from the grass roots senior advocacy organization, RetireSafe.
• In a statement released November 5, RetireSafe President Thair Phillips called AARP’s endorsement of the House health care bill the greatest fraud against seniors in the 21st century.

Follow the Money:  AARP takes in more than half of its $1.1 billion budget in royalty fees from health insurers and other vendors that market services with the organization’s name. Medicare supplementary policies, called “Medigap” plans, make up the biggest share of this royalty revenue.

• AARP has an interest in selling more, not fewer, Medigap plans, of course. But there is a competitor on the block.
• A growing number of seniors are enrolling in a new form of Medicare coverage Medicare Advantage where they don’t need Medigap.
• Medicare Advantage was created in 2003 to give seniors the option of joining private plans that are paid up to 12 percent more to provide better health benefits than traditional Medicare.
• These private plans compete with each other by offering seniors such services as lower premiums, better drug coverage, dental care and eyeglasses, and more comprehensive coverage for major medical expenses. Nearly 11 million of Medicare’s 45-million beneficiaries are in the program.
• Congress’ health reform bills would cut spending for Medicare Advantage by at least $150 billion. President Obama has singled out Medicare Advantage, saying it is a give-away to private insurance companies. But virtually all of the extra money goes back to seniors in the form of better benefits, so it’s seniors who have the most to lose.
• 60Plus: In actuality, the organization is a huge fraud on seniors, profiting by commission from a variety of money making schemes, receiving millions of taxpayer dollars, and promoting programs of big government and high taxes which hurt, not help, seniors. Considering the record of the AARP, we like to call them the AARP–the Association Against Retired Persons.
  
• AARP’s 2008 consolidated financial statements reveal the organization earns far more income from selling supplementary insurance to members than it takes in from yearly member fees. The group received nearly $653 million in royalties from private insurance companies that sold products referred by AARP in 2008. It also received an additional $120 million for the ads placed in its publications

The Bottom Line

I will not support an organization that would use my membership dues to lobby against my health and safety in retirement so they can line their own pockets.  I cannot understand why 40,000,000 “sheeple” out there do. Why would any retiree support an organization that wants to take away billions in Medicare just so we can then buy supplemental insurance from AARP?

I tore up my AARP card some time ago and wrote them asking to be taken off their mailing lists.  I have not heard from them since except through the “main stream media” touting the benefits of a Health Care plan that threatens the health and safety of all seniors.

Here are some alternatives … (if you know of more, let us know and we’ll add to the list).

AMAC : Association of Mature American Citizens AMAC’s FAQ page is HERE

ASA : American Seniors Association. FAQ Sheet HERE

60Plus: The 60 Plus Association. FAQ Sheet HERE

Gen – A: Generation America. Faq Sheet HERE

Call:

(1-888-687-2277)

or Write:

AARP
601 E Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20049

Ask them to take you off their email lists and cancel your membership.

… and find an alternative!

1. FoxNews: McCain Urges Seniors to Abandon AARP
2. ChicagoTribune: AARP Lines Pockets, Shortchanges Seniors ****
3. Brietbart: McCain tells seniors to tear up AARP Cards *** (Video)
4. AARP.org: AARP Thanks Senate for Passing HC Bill!***

Doug S.C. Flag - Relatively Calm