Health Care and AARP

I am one senior citizen that thinks AARP sold us out. I thought AARP was supposed to be for seniors, now I think they are for the politicians. AARP came out in favor the government takeover of healthcare (they don‘t call it that, I call it that). I read AARP’s list of reasons for support of new legislation and it sounds very lofty and idealistic. “We all have a role to play individuals, providers, purchasers, insurers, and the government.” What role do we “senior individuals” have to play? Go home and die because the government eliminates health care services we now receive. The one thing AARP should have said is that the government should not run or control the Health Care System. To begin with, they say our healthcare system is broken, but it is not. WE HAVE THE BEST HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. Americans do not leave this country to get better healthcare in another country. It is the outer way around, world leaders come here for medical treatment. AARP should have stood up for their 40 million members and said no the government takeover of our Healthcare System.

AARP sells hundreds of millions of dollars of medical insurance to seniors. They were afraid of losing that revenue and made a wink and nod agreement with the politicians. Presently there about 1,300 healthcare insurance companies in the US. It is estimated that number will be reduced to about 50 in the first few years of the new plan. Does AARP really think they can trust any of the politicians in Washington? Did you see how 200 years of law was thrown out the window when it came to the government takeover of General Motors and Chrysler? Ask the 100,000 individual secured bondholders that were screwed out of 70% of their secured money if they trust the politicians. By the way, most of them were seniors. AARP and the insurance companies will be shocked in a few years when the government tells them there will only be one health insurance plan run by the government and their services will not be needed. I do not think the Republicans or the Democrats in Washington can be trusted. Politics has become only about “what’s in it for me right now” and control, not about what is best for the American people. The politicians love their power. Do you really feel AARP is looking out for you?

The government really does not care about providing good healthcare in America for everyone; they care about the government-running healthcare in America. It is about government control of another major section of the economy and your life. If all they really wanted to do, was guarantee healthcare for everyone it would only cost between $29 to $40 billion extra over today’s costs; and the rest of us could continue with the good healthcare we have now without the government control. It could all be paid for out of stopping even part of the $200 billion in medical fraud each year. If they did that one thing, there would be no need to raise taxes or have the government take over our healthcare system. Tell that to your politicians. If the government takes over healthcare, they will control about sixty percent of the US economy. They already control the Banks, Insurance (AIG), Auto Industry (GM & Chrysler), Mortgage (Fannie Mae & Freddy Mack), and now they want to take over healthcare. If you are a senior citizen and the government takes over health care, they are going to tell us at what age we live or die. Maybe you are like me and had heart bypass surgery at age 58 and I will probably need it again at age 75 (because it usually only last 15 or 20 years). In England with their government run healthcare you cannot get a stint or heart bypass surgery if you are over 59. If that happens here a guess they will tell me I am too old because it is not cost effective for someone my age, and not covered by Medicare, I will just have to go home and die. Does AARP have it wrong?

Carl Wheeler is the Author and Publisher for the web site; Six Saturdays A Week, The site is dedicated to the improvement of the quality of life as we age. http://www.sixsaturdaysaweek.com