AARP Support

With the current debate over health care, the AARP supports Democrats in their plan to cut $460 billion in Medicare to pay for landmark health insurance legislation. As Republicans wanted to restore the cuts, the AARP said Democrats were only recommending elimination of waste and inefficiency within the health care program for seniors. Barry Rand, the AARP's CEO, said that the legislation doesn't reduce any Medicare benefits. Republicans led by Sen. John McCain, said seniors would lose some of their add-on benefits that are part of their coverage under private insurance Medicare. he believes we shouldn't use "Medicare as a piggy bank" to pay for other programs. Democrats supporting a proposal made by Sen. Michael Bennet, said the bill wouldn't cause any sort of reduction in guaranteed Medicare benefits. Overall the legislation is designed to extend health care to millions of Americans who lack coverage, prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions and slow the rate of growth n medical spending. Most Americans would be required to have health insurance, while employers wouldn't be obligated to provide it and huge companies would face penalties if they didn't and their workers received federal subsidies to help defray their personal insurance costs.