I believe that you said it perfectly in regards to AARP. “They also have the perfect target: older people.” My parents have certainly been targets from the amount of information they receive from AARP. From my understanding, any technologically savvy “senior” would be able to find the same benefits offered by AARP without the fee to join. Also, web surfing would most likely turn up cheaper prices on things like insurance. AARP has consistently managed to package itself as a critically needed, beneficial organization "just trying to help the old folks get by," thereby targeting the elderly. In actuality, it is a huge insurance conglomerate out to make a profit. “Obamacare, which AARP lobbied heavily for, could yield the group windfall profits of more than $1 billion over the next decade by forcing seniors off Medicare Advantage plans and into Medigap supplemental coverage. …show more content…
Dale Ban Atta, wrote the book “Trust Betrayed, Inside the AARP” in an attempt to expose the truth about AARP. Bill O’Reilly questioned Terry Scanlon, of the Capital Research Center. O'REILLY: “Mr. Scanlon, do you believe that the 35 million members know the ideology of the AARP?” SCANLON: “No, they really don't. Most people join AARP for their hotel and motel discounts. Most people have no idea about their political agenda being as liberal as it is.” As I have always believed, one must use discernment before believing or joining any special interest group. It pays to do research ahead of time instead of accepting something at face
AARP, American Association of Retired Persons, is considered by Human Events as one of the most powerful lobbies. Many websites state that the focus of AARP is not the seniors, nut the money involved. The tactics the AARP are considered “scare tactics.” American Association of Retired Persons used scare tactics by scaring the seniors into thinking their Medicare benefits were going to be taken away from them by congress without their support. Obamacare was highly supported by the members of AARP, why? The AARP convinced its members without Obamacare their Medicare would be reduced. However, this was not the case, it did not protect Medicare benefits, and it actually cut 500 million each year.
I believe maturity is not dependent on a person’s age because humans are affected by different situations, are different genders and are raised differently.
It has been recognized that ever since its passage into law the Affordable Care Act frequently known as Obamacare has and will continue to attract criticism and scrutiny. This is the America`s major and mainly well-liked social indemnity programs. Despite the fact the Affordable Care Act is a highly multifaceted piece of legislation featuring many regulatory and intergovernmental provisions meant to deal with lack of health insurance coverage affecting a variety of diverse groups, Medicare and social security are much more focused programs providing benefits primarily to the aged. Social security and Medicare were in the beginning implemented more without difficulty and with a little of bipartisan support, because in 1935 and 1965 democrats
Medicare and Medicaid has been providing huge benefits for senior citizens and low income families. The one question nobody seems to answer is how are we going to afford this type of insurance? Maya Rockeymoore argues in her article, “Groundless Fears about Medicaid and Medicare,” that we are able to afford this as long as we make good decisions. Rockeymoore claims that we need to keep Medicare and Medicaid or our country will fall apart.
Since 1965, Medicare has been attempting to provide low cost, guaranteed access to much needed healthcare for senior citizens over the age of 65 and other age groups that suffer from disabilities and terminal diseases. These people represent some of the most vulnerable population groups in the United States. Most do not work, and rely on Medicare to provide them the access to healthcare they need. Unlike privatized health insurance companies, Medicare is a social insurance program that is paid for through federal mandates and tax payer funds. Billions of dollars are spent annually on over 50 million Americans in need (Alonso-Zaldivar 1). The care structure itself is broken into several main parts: Medicare Part A covers hospital costs, Part B cover most outpatient care costs, and Part C and D cover prescription drug costs through dealing with other private insurance. Yet, the upcoming election in November is threatening to change and alter the structure. Each candidate has his own plan to deal with Medicare; both are trying to reign in the costs of operating Medicare, but with some elements being obviously more beneficial for Medicare recipients than others.
Author Donald A Barr defines the Medicare program. “The federal Medicare program is our system of universal health insurance for everyone sixty-five years old or older paid through a general withholding tax” (Barr 131). Unfortunately, the United States Medicare system is financially unstable. “Medicare is spending more money than they are bringing in…Policymakers are looking at several different options that will alter the Medicare program significantly” (WPC 2). In turn, a high number of companies and organizations are investing their time and revenue into lobbying to make healthcare changes. Joe Eaton from the Center for Public Integrity shares “More than 1,750 corporations and organizations hired about 4,525 lobbyists — eight for each member of Congress — to influence health reform bills in 2009” (Eaton). The objective for special interest groups is to pull financial resources together to be a force of influence. Granted there is strength in numbers, for example, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) “deployed fifty-six in-house lobbyists and two from outside firms to work the issue on behalf of its members. Also, American Medical Association (AMA), “spent $20 million overall in 2009 lobbying Congress on behalf of doctors” (Eaton). The AMA was successful in removing a $300 fee for physicians that participate in Medicare and Medicaid. Furthermore, the AMA advocated for budget cuts for higher income Medicare subscribers and payment cuts for Medicare biller’s
Ethel Percy Andrus (AARP website, n.d., para. 1). Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus then started AARP back in 1958 to help everyone with the idea of having health insurance for older Americans (AARP website, n.d., para. 1). The original idea was to show that people can age gracefully and are very useful to society even though the person is older (AARP website, n.d., para. 2). In addition, the organization was trying to establish health insurance for older Americans (AARP website, n.d., para. 2). She eventually created health benefit programs that also included coverage for pharmaceuticals (AARP website, n.d., para. 2). Once the government established Medicare in 1965, then the purpose of this organization changed. The organization began to focus on establishing connections around the world to help the older population to see their value in their country (AARP website, n.d., para. 4). Although the international offices were shut down, they continue to have many contacts in countries around the world. Even though they evolved from wanting to establish a health insurance for the elderly to an organization that helps many older Americans from social activities to improving brain health, they are an organization that is relevant and strongly established specialist interest group that is a force to be reckoned with on Capitol
Having escaped rule from a tyrannical British government, the United States was founded on ideals of freedom and equality for all people. These fantasies of universal egalitarianism turned out to be merely that: fantasies. American history is full of stories of the oppressed struggling to get the rights they deserve and of the controversy over these issues that consequently ensues. “The Hypocrisy of American Slavery” by Frederick Douglass and “We Shall Overcome” by Lyndon B. Johnson are two speeches made confronting two of these issues. Douglass’s speech, delivered in 1852, condemns the institution of slavery and maintains that slaves are men and are therefore entitled to freedom. Johnson’s speech, on the other hand, was written in 1965 and discussed the civil rights movement. In it, he implored local governments to allow all American citizens, regardless of race, to vote. Despite the significant gap in time between these two addresses, both speakers use similar persuasive techniques, including ethos, pathos, and parallelism, to convince their audience that change needs to be implemented in America.
Notably, the elderly populace is growing rapidly, and will reach 3.4 million or 12.8% of the population. Eventually, in the next thirty years older adults will comprise of 20% of the total population due to the aging of 76 million baby boomers (Olson, 2001). Seeing that, entitlement programs and means-tested benefits, are presented, in order to bolster this increment of older adults. Accordingly, around 96% of the American workforce is secured by Social Security and it is likewise estimated that 58 million American will receive a total of $816 billion in Social Security benefits (Moody and Sasser, 2015). In fact, today 56 million or 17% of the population is enlisted in Medicare (Leonard, 2015). Therefore, this has presented an open deliberation about the eventual fate of Medicare and Social Security and regardless of whether changing Medicare and Social Security to means-tested benefits, instead of entitlement programs can resolve the policy issues.
Medicare’s eventual organization, however, soon allowed for third parties to enter the health care market, and ensure that corporations had a larger stake in the health care system. Because of the federal government’s relative inexperience, people and medical practices would simply choose to use private fiscal agents such as the Blue Cross Association to ensure they had experienced figures. Because of this demand, legislation was changed to accommodate the Blue Cross into the overall federal infrastructure of Medicare. The entrance of third parties into the health care system, including voluntary health insurance organizations, helped to make Medicare seem less scary or rigid
Being an athletes is one of the best-paid jobs on Earth. Being that they are paid so much the cost for the consumer is very high. The prices of tickets and sports memorabilia have been steadily rising over the years. The average ticket prices for the NHL, MLB, NBA and NFL all rose 5% to 10% this year, according to Jon Greenberg, executive editor of Team Marketing Report. (Mihoces).
Ron is very happy as an enrolled participant of Medicare and specifically Medicare Part D. His eligibility for Medicare and the affordability of health insurance at the spry age of 74 was a blessing for Ron and his wife. Like Ron and his wife, many of the elderly depend on payments from government sources for their health care, and there is concern that this part of the system is also in decay. Medicare is a federal health insurance
They, along with other old-age interests, however, have had to shift their role to a defensive one.11 The defeat of President Clinton’s health care reform package, which the AARP supported, dealt them a measurable political blow.12 The republican congressional take over of 1994 led to a scaling back of the federal government’s role, including programs designed to benefit seniors. The AARP believes big government to be essential to the welfare of seniors. This view comes in direct conflict with the Republican view stated in the “Contract With America”, that individuals and businesses can make more effective use of funds than the governmental bureaucracy.13 An understanding of this fundamental philosophical distinction provides one with the perspective to understand the AARP’s opposition to the privatization of programs important to seniors. These programs include social security, which the AARP describes as its “number one issue”, and Medicare.14 It also explains their fervent opposition to reductions in the rate of growth of the aforementioned
“Your assignment is to write a persuasive essay and present it to the class in a week. You will be graded based on how convincing it is. Today we will be choosing topics,” announced Mr. Bowerbank, my 7th grade English teacher and ruler of classroom 110. My class simultaneously groaned at the prospect of work. I simply lifted my head with intrigue as it was already May and about time we had our first essay. He then proceeded to give examples of topics we could choose and gave us some time to think before we had to tell him our topic. My classmates were already rushing to tell the teacher their idea lest someone else steal it. That meant the usual abortion, death penalty, or drug use topics were out. I really couldn't think of anything and the teacher was slowly making his way through the remaining students like an executioner beheading criminals in a line. I have always thought that he would make a marvelous supervillain if he had a curly mustache, a tophat, and a cape. Eventually my name was called. I slowly dragged myself over to his desk. Even sitting down, he still seemed to tower over me. “What is your topic Cindy?” As usual in such desperate times, my mind turned to food. “Waffles are better than pancakes.” I figured that a waffle was just a differently shaped pancake with a nicer texture. “Hmm. Excellent topic. I look forward to your essay!” I survived to live yet another day.
Source: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Health, United States, 2002. Flegal et. al. JAMA. 2002;288:1723-7. NIH, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, 1998.