February 3, 2023
It’s not your grandparents’ AARP anymore. Whether it’s their celebration of the Inflation Reduction Act or historical support of Obamacare, AARP has become more and more brazen in its partisan support of Democratic policy priorities. This overt party favoritism flies in the face of their “non-partisan” claim and is an extreme disservice to their members and their values. AARP cannot maintain its “unbiased” reputation while simultaneously cheering the socialization of America’s health system.
AARP members are just everyday Americans, each with a range of views, philosophies, and backgrounds. Younger people can join AARP earlier now and enjoy the perks of getting discounts and reading the AARP magazine. What members ought to consider however, are what AARP concentrates its lobbying efforts on in Washington; policies that betray the interests of seniors, are endorsed by a single political party, and hand the golden goose to health insurance companies.
For years, AARP has, seemingly without critique, advocated for and supported policies that lead America down a path that actually hurt its members. Too few have been willing to call attention to the group’s conflicts of interest. Most recently, AARP supported a proposal that inhibits the healthcare freedom of their members and sets us on a course toward fewer cures and fewer drug options.
That’s precisely what they did when they celebrated President Biden’s deceivingly named Inflation Reduction Act, which included a damaging provision that essentially hands the government the power to mandate drug prices on manufacturers under Medicare Part D.
The ugly truth is that government price setting will be disastrous for Medicare patients when seeking treatment options, as not all providers will be able to foot the government’s bill. Additionally, the cost this will have on drug research and development will stall the innovation of improved treatments and novel cures for years, meaning patients with currently incurable diseases are now going to be forced to wait longer. Did AARP even do its homework before giving the IRA its stamp of approval?
Read full article here:
