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The Spectacle Blog
Last week, I detailed the cozy relationship that AARP has developed with the Obama administration. Today, the nation’s largest organization of older Americans has devoted the front page of its website to promoting a telephone town hall meeting with President Obama at 1:30. You can register to attempt to ask a question here.
The group already has a Q&A up trying to counter legitimate concerns about his proposals. A sample:
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 subsidies for people with moderate to low incomes to make sure the coverage is affordable for everyone.
If you can’t tell much difference between the spin given by AARP and what you hear from Obama himself, that’s because there isn’t any. AARP has essentially turned the organization into a de facto branch of the White House media operation. The group, which bills itself as nonpartisan, has thrown its full weight behind Obama’s health care proposals even though they would slash Medicare spending by $622 billion. As a conservative, of course, I’m all for reining in entitlement spending, but this is a group that spreads fear whenever Republicans try to do anything about the issue, no matter how modest. As I previously noted, in 2006, when Bush proposed far smaller Medicare cuts of $105 billion over 10 years, USA Today quoted an AARP spokesman as saying, “The Congress, in an election year, is not going to pass these disastrous provisions.”
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More Blog Posts by Philip Klein
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/07/28/aarp-goes-to-bat-for-obama-aga
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Sean Hackbarth | 7.28.09 @ 11:18AM
Along those same lines, Sen. Lamar Alexander will tell fellow Republican Senators that they've already reached out to over 1 million Americans to discuss health care:
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OWUxOWZjZjFlZjJhMTQ3NGQ4ZWI4ZGQ1MjkyMDA3YmU=
Tim| 7.28.09 @ 1:37PM
AARP is owned by the Dems. If Obama did want to shoot seniors into space, AARP would light the fuse.
Sassy Lady| 7.28.09 @ 2:29PM
I'm a member of AARP. But I will not renew my membership!!! They have been bought by Obama. Medicare does need some over hauling! and cleaning up the fraud!, no dought. But, leave the private health care system alone or it will be screwed up just like medicare.
Pingback| 7.28.09 @ 2:30PM
AARP » Current News Trends links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
hsr0601| 7.28.09 @ 2:35PM
A pay for outcome / value payment system, key to the deficit-neutral, might be capable of bringing all groups together.
Supporters of the agreement say it could save the Medicare System more than $100 billion a year and 'improve' care, that means more than $1trillian over a decade, and virtually needs no other resources including tax on the wealthiest. (Please visit http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=820455&catid=391 for detailed infos).
As much as 30 percent of all health-care spending in the U.S. -some $700 billion a year- may be wasted on tests and treatments that do not improve the health of the recipients,” Thus the remaining $239 billions over a decade do not matter.
Dr. Armadio at Mayo clinic says, "If we got rid of that stuff, we save a third of all that we spend and that is 2.5 trillion dollars on health care. A third of that and that is 700 billion dollars a year. That covers a lot of uninsured people."
1. There is no need for infighting and class conflict.
2. It can satisfy revenue-neutral raised by the Republicans.
3. It is able to resolve the regional disparity.
4. It may bring the private insurers to competition, innovation.
5. The focus on 'outcome' over volume can make the practitioners more accurate and creative based on IT SYSTEM and evidence, while eliminating the additional, unnecessary care that is increasing patients' pains, frustrations, and possible side-effects.
6. It undoubtedly allows for massive medical job creation.
7. The desperate people will get back American dream.
THANK YOU !
JPUSC72| 7.28.09 @ 2:41PM
I dropped my AARP membership 2 years ago. This organization is looking out for itself and not its members. Look at all the insurance products they lend their name to and you will notice they are not only owned by the Democrats but also owned by the insurance industry. They are out to make money on Obamacare and that is the simple truth to their backing this plan.
Sheila| 7.28.09 @ 2:44PM
Once I turned 50 last year I began receiving junk mail from the AARP. I don't join special interest groups, even if they claim to represent little old ladies (which I'm damned if I'll ever be!). It's noteworthy that at all the online videos of various townhall meetings around the country protesting Obamacare, there appears to be a majority of grayhairs in attendance. I do not ascribe to the common myth of age=wisdom, so I wonder at their presence. Are they truly a remnant of the independent and self reliant America of my youth, and they don't want the government in control of their health? Or are they seriously overweight, self-made type II diabetics on scads of medication, who are afraid the government will cut their overuse of our healthcare system (whereas all the private payers now subsidize them without so much as a peep). As a believer in personal responsibility, and someone who supports abolition of all but catastrophic insurance coverage, I say a plague on both (the AARP and the 'concerned ' seniors) their houses.
Bruce | 7.28.09 @ 2:44PM
Anyone who thinks the AARP jumped on the bandwagon just since Zero's election needs to get a clue. That group has been solidly in the liberal Dem corner for a LONG time.
I'm 63 now and have gotten mailings and requests to join since turning 50. It was liberal then and I suspect long before that. They are there for the money - not to help seniors nor enlighten them about the truth of liberal Dem policies that would all but bankrupt seniors. It took me almost a year of sending back the AARP mailings in their return envelopes (at their cost, of course) and threats of legal action for spamming me before I got rid of their garbage once and for all.
Bruce | 7.28.09 @ 2:56PM
QUOTE:
"As much as 30 percent of all health-care spending in the U.S. -some $700 billion a year- may be wasted on tests and treatments that do not improve the health of the recipients,” Thus the remaining $239 billions over a decade do not matter."
You have a cite for that statistic other than maybe Daily Kos?
What do you think is the REASON for all those tests? Well - I'll tell you ... the liberal Dems who are in the pockets of the trial lawyers (Hello John Edwards?) who make millions off of phony law suits against doctors - which raises their insurance costs to astronomical levels.
Medicare is broke because of one simple fact - Medicare pays whatever they are billed for a service WITHOUT attempting to verify the claim or actual costs. This is why there are so many companies popping up selling (allegedly FREE) services to people on Medicare.
Personal example - due to a few serious health issues I need a mobility scooter. I priced these on my own and found a perfectly acceptable scooter for only $700, financed privately. When I inquired about a scooter to Medicare I was told that THEY would pay for one for me that met their specifications. Not mine, theirs. Cost? $4000! That's $3,300 more than what it would cost privately, for much more than I need. Where does that money go? To these ripoff companies who get you stuff at "NO COST TO YOU!"
Joseph Timms| 7.28.09 @ 3:02PM
A couple of related parodies entitled:
"Democrats Cite Health Care Cost Savings of Fewer Seniors, More Abortions" http://optoons.blogspot.com/2009/07/democrats-cite-health-care-cost-savings.html
"White House Defends Use of Electric Cattle Prods at “Cattle Call” Meetings": http://optoons.blogspot.com/2009/07/white-house-defends-use-of-electric.html
jr| 7.28.09 @ 3:56PM
At some time in the near past the AARP was run almost solely by ex-educators. When I saw him today on his AARP sponsored townhall meeting he somewhat acknowledged that treatment for older people will undoubtedly be reduced -- because there is lots of overlap and unnecessary processes today. --- that there will be a medical committee to organize and print medical protocol that will "recommend" the proper procedure to be followed for a given medical problem. Here's my question about this new quasi-governmental committee. From all of the billions or trillions spent by the gubermint to-date on health care, e.g., NIH, why isn't this being done now under BHO's medical expertness without waiting until the Wall crumbles? Too easy an answer?
Missy| 7.28.09 @ 11:02PM
"How to serve OLD man." Apologies to the Twilight Zone.
Jack Davis| 7.29.09 @ 11:04AM
Remember "Soylent Green"?
After all of the Obamahospices overflow, we can process the elderly for food!
Trish| 7.29.09 @ 11:55AM
How can senior citizens that are members of AARP or former members get together in protest their deplorable actions ? They also practice age discrimination for car insurance and when questioned about it, the answer is gibberish.
C4US| 7.29.09 @ 12:53PM
I'm done. It's just not worth it. I'm calling AARP and canceling my membership. Bye bye.
Joan| 7.29.09 @ 3:09PM
i belong to aarp for 10year, i cant belevie they can trust obama, i an so upset tthat they dont look after the people that pay their way. they keep going up all the time, i do not want universal heathcare. t think we will before long be like russia.that what he want ,he does not like america. i know heathcare need changeing, medicaidi an certain use more them old people, there are people that can paid, but they like having a new car,i know how people work to get free thingsi guess you aarp will be godand say who will live or die. we are living in the last days, god told us bad things would come,
Patrick| 7.29.09 @ 3:21PM
I was a member, just called and cancelled and let them know how mad I am at their stance. Just a bunch of lemmings following their crowd.
L.E.Likes| 7.29.09 @ 3:28PM
Avoid the AARP - It is hazardous to your country. Most members are 'OLD' warn out 'LIBS' living out the end of life in 'Denial' with no sense of humour and they are anxious to over pay.
Denise| 8.8.09 @ 10:39AM
I had no idea AARP was so liberal, and we joined it a few years ago. When I received phone-bank calls from them in support of messiah-care, I called and let them have it. My husband, a 65-year old, two-time cancer survivor will not receive care under this plan. Read what Dr. Z. Emanuel (Rahm's brother) says about that. I told this to the operator at AARP, and she defended their stance saying AARP does not agree with "everything" in the reform bills. I explained Emanuel's position and the operator started crying and apologized to me. I'm glad to be done with AARP....senior advocates....NOT!
Brownie MacKie| 8.10.09 @ 2:00PM
I smelled a fish years ago, and the fish was AARP. I let my ten yr. membership expire. Haven't missed them. Didn't do a thing for me. Bunch of expensive baloney. I wrote them last year and told them to quit sending me JUNK mail. They haven't.
Don Giffin| 10.31.09 @ 9:44PM
Hey, welcome the temporary memberships they pass out. I use them all the time and refuse to join. I do not favor joining any organization that lobbies for me because it is not unusual for them to be lobbing against my desires.