The AARP has spent most of the week trying to convince its members that the newly passed Medicare reform bill is a Good Thing. It isn’t particularly working.
Formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, they are certainly no longer just for retirees. Depending how you look at it, the AARP is a massive lobbying organization, a travel discount club, an insurance provider, the second largest membership club in the United States. Less than half of their income is from membership fees.
Oh, you didn’t know they are an insurance provider? They made $161 Million on health insurance alone last year through various partnerships. So it shouldn’t surprise you that they are very much in favor of this Medicare reform: they stand to make a great deal of money on it. The real question is whether they will alienate their 35 million members in the process.
In various cities across the nation, AARP members are expressing their frustration and disgust with this organization that is supposed to present their interests to the nation. They are calling. They are sending e-mail. They are resigning. They are staging protests and burning their membership cards. In short, they are not happy.
Just like the rest of us, the more they learn about this legislation, the less they like it. In fact, it would seem the only good part of this 1000+ page document that has come to light is certain adjustments in the way doctors are reimbursed for care. The bill is full of tax shelters, paperwork, unnecessary “privatization”, complicated deductibles and rules, “incentives” for insurance and drug companies, provisions that actively prevent seniors from getting lower prices, and other frills that really have nothing to do with making sure Granny can afford her medicines. The latter was the whole reason for this mess in the first place, wasn’t it?
The AARP has characterized this reform as good but not perfect. Congress needs to be on notice that “good but not perfect” isn’t good enough. It doesn’t do enough to help elderly people, and it costs a lot of money for us younger folks. This may surprise your Congressmen, but insurance companies don’t vote. You might want to send a little note to remind them.