AARP won’t acknowledge financial interest in Medicare copay debate

[Geee]

Daily Caller:

The AARP, formerly the The American Association of Retired Persons, sent U.S. senators a letter last week asking them to oppose any increases in Medicare copayments.

But the self-described pro-senior group hasn’t acknowledged that it has a financial stake in the debate’s outcome.

Several debt-ceiling plans floated in the House and the Senate have included the possibility of increasing existing copayment amounts or adding copayments to certain Medicare services that haven’t charged them before, including in-home health care.

Another floated idea which could potentially damage the AARP financially is one in which Medigap plans would no longer cover seniors’ Medicare copayments.

Medigap plans are supplemental health insurance coverage options that seniors can purchase in addition to their Medicare plans.

The AARP collects 4.95 percent of every dollar United HealthCare takes in from AARP members’ Medigap plan premiums. Not allowing Medigap plans to cover seniors’ Medicare copayment costs is a disincentive for AARP members to continue purchasing the supplemental coverage.

In its letter to Congress, the AARP made no mention of any financial stake it may have in the debate over changes to Medicare copayment arrangements. An AARP spokesperson refused to answer when The Daily Caller asked for a clarification about whether or not the group believed it could be financially affected by the result.

Instead, the spokesperson told TheDC the group “opposes policies that simply shift costs to seniors in Medicare, rather than addressing rising costs throughout the system.”

[pollyannaish]

I am sorry, but the AARP is the biggest abuser of American Seniors in the country. They REALLY, REALLY tick me off.

 

They offer little pitty discounts with their partnered businesses (and most already have senior discounts anyway), a little magazine and a big mouth...and then drive healthcare costs and insurance prices higher and higher as they pad their pockets.