As more benefits of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, become available, some opponents of the law have returned to their false claim that AARP’s position on health reform was driven by financial interests. Untroubled by the facts, they have built an echo chamber for this accusation — but repetition does not bring them any closer to accuracy.
The fact is AARP’s priorities during the health care debate were based on many years of listening to the needs and concerns of our members and other older Americans. That is why we fought successfully to limit insurers from charging much higher premiums because of age; to prohibit the denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions; to close the doughnut hole in prescription drug coverage under Medicare; and to improve coverage for critical preventive services.
Conspiracy theories about AARP also ignore the fact that the Affordable Care Act was supported by many other respected organizations. For example, the American Medical Association, which had opposed some earlier health reform efforts, as well as the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, supported the Affordable Care Act.
Let’s get beyond the political attacks and the smokescreen of erroneous charges and focus on what this law means for the health care needs of individuals and their families.
Dave Mollen
State president, AARP New Jersey
Editor’s note: The backlash against Obamacare includes a website with the poster at left reproduced in multiple sizes, presumably for easy downloading.
