On Soapbox

Well, I've been quiet too long. Time to spout off a bit. The doomsday people, special interest groups and naysayers are trying to spell health care as E-V-I-L, so I'm going to pass on some important info I got from the AARP.

Here are some Myths the fear mongers want you to believe:

Health care reform is socialized medicine.
Health care reform means rationed care.
Health care reform will hurt Medicare.
Health care reform is too expensive – we can't afford it.
Health care reform means the government can make life-and-death decisions for you.

The answers to the above statements are FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE and FALSE.

Read the TRUTH here: http://aarp.convio.net/site/PageNavigator/Myths_vs_Facts

Although I'm several years away from Medicare, I am an AARP member and here are some important messages for all of us.

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. [See "A" below]

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. [See "B" below]

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. [ See "C" below]

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. [See "D" below]

So what is AARP fighting for in health reform?

A. Stopping insurance companies from charging older Americans unaffordable premiums because of their age.

B. Ending the practice of excluding people from insurance because of pre-existing conditions.

C. Holding down health costs and making insurance coverage more affordable for all Americans.


D. Making prescription drugs more affordable by narrowing the Medicare doughnut hole, bringing generics to market faster, and allowing Medicare to negotiate better drug prices.

So...there you go.
Off soapbox.