Why did AARP - the retirement group known for discounts - favor passage of ObamaCare when it would cut $500 billion in Medicare benefits? Surprise, ObamaCare cut their competitors' plans while preserving those of AARP.
Remember "Let me be very clear about this: if you like the insurance you now have you will be able to keep it." Seven million seniors will lose their Medicare Advantage plans.
Congressman Dave Reichert and two other congressmen issued a report Thursday about the conflicts of interest of AARP. Behind the Veil: The AARP American Doesn't Know
... Titled "Behind the Veil: The AARP America Doesn't Know," the report takes aim at possibly stripping AARP of tax-exempt status. The organization was one of the most vocal supporters of the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans are attempting to repeal.
... Reichert and other Republicans have previously criticized AARP's insurance ventures, under which commercial carriers sell Medicare Advantage, Medigap and other insurance products with AARP's imprimatur in exchange for royalties.
The new 34-page report purports to document how AARP stands to reap "a financial windfall" of more than $1 billion over the next decade as a result of the new health-care law.
For instance, according to the report, UnitedHealthcare has nearly 10 million members in its AARP-branded medigap, Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. That ranks UnitedHealthcare [AARP] as the largest player in the Medicare insurance market, ahead of Humana and WellPoint.
AARP President Lee Hammond said profit had nothing to do with their position and they were disappointed by the report. But the article mentions no dispute with the facts by AARP.
I have a friend who joined another senior outfit, not over differences with AARP's big-government-for-every-problem policies, but over its complete lack of "member" involvement. He says most of AARP's directors work for or have strong ties to insurance companies.
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