AARP: SELLING OUT SENIORS AND LINING THEIR POCKETS!

AARP members wake up! You're being sold out by your own organization and their lying to you about the future of Medicare within the structure of the government run health plan. In the past, every time the word "cut" was mentioned with Medicare in Congress, AARP was one of the first groups to weigh in against proposed cuts or changes to the Medicare program. All of that has drastically changed for you.  If the Democrats in Congress as well as AARP get their way, you will suffer massive cuts in Medicare and Medicare programs you now enjoy. They will be eliminated in order to pave the way for the cost cutting needed to pay for this huge government health plan being forced upon you and the rest of America.

Why would AARP join forces with the proponents of such a disastrous plan for our country? It's not because they are an advocate for your rights and no matter what they post on the web site, or what they send out in the mail, they cannot escape the truth. MONEY! They will make lots of it with their insurance affiliates. AARP is in the insurance business, they left the advocacy for seniors arena a long time ago. Just like a corrupt union they take your dues and line their pockets to the benefit those running the organization.

Many AARP seniors who enjoy the Medicare Advantage Plan sold by various insurance companies will lose their coverage because that program will be eliminated. Since AARP does not offer that plan directly it will eliminate competition to their endorsed plan which will mean your forced to buy their product. That's what they do in socialist countries. The government forces out the competition and your left with whatever they choose to provide. The government is happy, AARP makes money from you, so there happy and your just screwed and are supposed to be happy about it.  If you ran a business and got a sweet deal like that from the government, you would endorse their plan too. It has nothing to do with looking after your interests.                                                                                        

On October 27, the Washington Post published an article by Dan Eggen. Here are some excerpts:

The group and its subsidiaries collected more than $650 million in royalties and other fees last year from the sale of insurance policies, credit cards and other products that carry the AARP name, accounting for the majority of its $1.14 billion in revenue, according to federal tax records. It does not directly sell insurance policies but lends its name to plans in exchange for a tax-exempt cut of the premiums.

The group's dual role as an insurance reformer and a broker has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks from congressional Republicans, who accuse it of having a conflict of interest in taking sides in the fierce debate over health insurance. Three House Republicans sent a letter to AARP on Monday complaining that the group was putting its "political self-interests" ahead of seniors.

GOP lawmakers point to AARP's thriving business in marketing branded Medigap policies, which provide supplemental coverage for standard Medicare plans available to the elderly. Democratic proposals to slash reimbursements for another program, called Medicare Advantage, are widely expected to drive up demand for private Medigap policies like the ones offered by AARP, according to health-care experts, legislative aides and documents.

Republicans also question the high salaries and other perks given to some top AARP executives, who would not be subject to limits on insurance executives' pay included in the Senate Finance Committee's health reform package. Former AARP chief executive William Novelli received more than $1 million in compensation last year.

"We are witnessing a disturbing trend of handouts to special interests like AARP," said House Republican spokesman Matt Lloyd, referring to Democratic negotiations over health reform. "In return, AARP is lobbying for a government-run health-care bill that will pad their own executives' pockets at the expense of its own members and other vulnerable seniors."

Read the entire article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/26/AR2009102603392.html

Seniors of America, don't be fooled by those in Congress and AARP that tell you your best interests are being represented. Some will say this post is another scare tactic by a conservative nut. Well, they are right, I am scared and you should be too!

Cartoon courtesy of "Backhoe" from Free Republic.

Edisto Joe

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