Mental HealthAARP President: House Bill Makes "Substantial Progress" Toward Health Care Reform, USA
AARP President Jennie Chin Hansen is
testifying before the House Committee on Ways and Means during
its hearing on "Health Reform in the 21st Century." In her
remarks, Hansen discusses the health care needs of older
Americans, including affordable coverage for 50- to 64-year-olds
and prescription drugs for people in Medicare. Excerpts from
Hansen"s statement follow:
"Enacting legislation to give all Americans quality, affordable
health coverage options is AARP"s top priority this year.
"The draft Tri-Committee legislation marks substantial progress
toward this goal.
"Today I am proud to represent nearly 40 million members of AARP-
half over age 65 and therefore in Medicare, and half under 65.
"Both age groups face serious problems in today"s health care
system, and AARP commends the Tri-Committee for including
critical reforms in its draft that will help AARP members of all
ages."
"To make insurance affordable for Americans age 50-64, AARP
believes these individuals should be charged no more than twice
what someone under 50 is required to pay for quality health
coverage. Why?
"Because older may mean wiser but it doesn"t mean richer. In
fact, the income of uninsured adults age 18-24 is a little over
$28,000 and for those 50-64 it is $30,000."
"One of the greatest difficulties faced by our older members is
the extraordinary out-of-pocket cost of health care. In fact,
Medicare beneficiaries spend 30 percent of their income on health
care costs and they face costs that are six times costs faced by
those of us with employer-sponsored coverage. This is a
particularly stark reality for the nearly half of all Medicare
beneficiaries who have incomes of less than $22,000 per year.
"Prescription drugs are, of course, a big piece of Medicare
beneficiaries" out-of-pocket expenses, which is why AARP has made
closing the doughnut hole and improving low income assistance
programs top priorities in health care reform. The Tri-Committee
has lead the way on both of these vital issues, including the
closure of the doughnut hole as well as important improvements to
Medicare low-income supports in its draft legislation.."
AARP