Calling all AARP members !!!!!

[shirlden]

Buzzflash.com has an article up on the controversy over the AARP endorsement of the Trojan Drug Bill. Here is an excerpt:

In response to Senator Tom Daschle's tart prediction that he would face a revolt within his organization over this bill, Novelli said, "There's not going to be a revolt within AARP. There's going to be a problem if Congress fails to pass this legislation."

OK, folks, can we help Tom's prediction come true?

Here is what we do.......

Send e-mail to [e-mail]
In the subject line put Contact Bill Novelli

Demand that he resign NOW !!!!

Sign your name and membership number.

[caledesi]

1. Done.

I never even signed up with AARP, but still they are sending my husband and me their newsletter etc.

Just emailed them and told them to stop.

Felt good.

[welshTerrier2]

2. Time to Cut the Cards

not only did i cancel my membership today and post a few choice words on their online community bulletin board, but i realized tonight that i also have an AARP credit card ...

now, where did i put those scissors ???

[Cleita]

3. Done.

[Cleita]

9. So I got this back.

"Thank you for your recent communication. Your concerns are very
important to us at AARP.

NOTE: We are currently receiving a very high volume of email. Our
response to you may be delayed during this time.

Please do not reply to this message. This email address is not
monitored for responses.

You may update your membership information or request and print a
membership card online by visiting the Your Membership area of our Web
site at http://www.aarp.org/membership.

Additionally all of your Member Benefits and Services are available by
visiting the Member Services and Discounts area of the Web site at
http://www.aarp.org/benefits.

Thank you for your patience."

Umm, so it's a form letter, but note the "high volume of mail" remark. I wonder why? :evilgrin:

[dflprincess]

4. Damn

They've been sending me offers to join since last April. I was thinking of joining, now I wish I had, so I could cancel my membership.

[madfloridian]

5. The phone there has been ringing all day. Message board filled.

AARP needs to contacted, but so does Daschle and your congressmen. They HAVE to know that AARP does not represent what the people want.

[Champion Jack]

6. AARP and Big Insurance

AARP and Big Insurance

From the Center for American Progress:


"Critics say AARP, which formally unveiled its new headquarters building in downtown Washington last month, has softened its earlier militancy because it is preoccupied with its profit-making enterprises, including $100 million in earnings from the sale of insurance, mostly Medicare supplemental policies."
- Newsday, 10/21/2000

"AARP's receives more than $100 million in revenue from health insurers."
- Denver Post, 5/21/96


"Critics suggest that AARP's substantial profits from the sales of Medigap and other insurance policies, drug company advertising in its magazines, and investment schemes conflict with its interests on behalf of seniors...AARP President William Novelli acknowledged complaints from members that AARP has been too timid in the political battles to defend Medicare and Social Security. He conceded that AARP has pulled its punches since right-wing groups and members of Congress criticized it as too liberal."
- Newsday, 2/19/02

"AARP's pharmacy service is part of its insurance sales operation which generated $ 101 million in revenue last year - 17 percent of the organization's total budget."
- Capitol News Service, 8/15/02


"AARP receives millions of dollars from UnitedHealthcare, a national health insurance firm based in Minnesota."
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/24/01

[bleedingheart]

7. It would be a big Hoot if AARP shot itself in the foot with this one

In fact it would be a big republican victory all around... they might just get passage of a bill that screws the elderly...and then they may also disable the biggest elderly lobby in the country...

[Cleita]

10. Apparently they have already disabled the lobby under our noses,

but I'm sure we will regroup. The endorsement of the AARP should guarantee votes for whomever they back, but from what I have been reading here today and yesterday, those votes aren't in the bag.

[ldf]

8. i have sent them a rather unpleasant email

AND i have cancelled my membership.

i don't know who the hell they think they are fooling, but it sure isn't me.

[Eloriel]

11. So why couldn't you provide the buzzflash link? n/t

[Cha]

12. Thanks for the heads up on this, shirlden!

My e-mail.."I am a member of AARP and I don't like the bill that the republicans are trying to sneak through.
I think our organization should be more bi-partisan. If this(AARP) is a republican organization I want no part of it.

Maybe Bill Novelli should resign and get someone as head of AARP who actually cares about the Seniors"

[Cha]

13. Link for buzzflash.com

http://www.buzzflash.com

[bread_and_roses]

14. e-mail, call your senators

please. This is important.

[kittykitty]

15. Oh Great! Now what do I do?

I just signed up for AARP Medi-Gap insurance. It is about $75 a month cheaper than Blue Shield Medi-Gap. I can't cancel my membership because then I can't be in the plan. And to think I joined because I figured a MEdi-Gap plan with the power of AARP behind them would be a good thing.

I did write them a nasty note last night, though.

[Gin]

16. I cancelled...told them what I thought..and demanded a refund.

gin

[Cleita]

20. I can't quit either for the Medi-gap thing which is actually

pretty good coverage, but I too let them know that they don't speak for me when it comes to politics and that they sold us out. I don't think I can switch because of the pre-existing condition thing. (This is for my husband). I don't have any insurance I would brag about, which is also Blue Cross.

[bobbyboucher]

17. How can AARP already indorse it when no one has seen it

in its entirety? Sounds like a bum's rush to me.

[in_cog_ni_to]

18. I'm not an AARP member,

but I told them my parents were and would be canceling their AARP tomorrow and they should fire Novelli. What a bastard.

[Gloria]

19. I called them yesterday....to tell them I had lapsed because

they had been fudging on this issue for a long time--and told them they'd never get me to join again (so quit sending me your crappy renewal notices!)

And, as I've posted before, I called Sen. Kennedy's office and put the bug in their ear about AARP's stake in all this (insurance, benefit cards, etc etc.)

And, the same applies to the Social Security thing! AARP is supporting privitization ...and they sponsor MUTUAL FUNDS!!!!!!

This is not a member driven organization---it is a lobbying group--lobbying without the permission of the people they supposedly represent!

[Cleita]

24. Once they did lobby for senior citizens interests.

Apparently they have been opted by the opposition. Too bad.

[KoKo]

21. WOW! AARP Message Board on Fire! Keep at it! Not a member, but

Geeze this is really bad.....I think they don't understand that their members can use a keyboard and have access to information instantaneously.

Novelli thinks it's a bunch of "old codgers with walkers" who are so thrilled with what Congress has done they will owe him "undying gratitude!" Way to go!

[Cleita]

23. Do you think they care though?

It seems that anything the neo-cons takeover eventually loses money and yet they don't care. I wonder where their money is coming from? The AARP hasn't done anything to reverse this, apologize or anything. :shrug:

[KoKo]

29. Well, my hometown NC Newspaper says: "Consumers Union" & The

Alliance for Retired Americans is going to fight it. Says these orgs. represent retired union members and they charged that the proposal would undermine Medicare and protect the profits of the pharmaceutial companies..

If this appeared in my NC Newspaper there are more than AARP members who are worried about this...and I think it's a call to action. But, AARP has the biggest "name recognition" among retired or near to retired groups so they are the ones that need to be "TRASHED" thoroughly for their compliance and for putting that Gingrich jerk in as head of the organization!

[madfloridian]

30. Link to Alliance for Retired Americans.

http://www.retiredamericans.org

I like their policies.

[Cha]

32. Thanks!

[aldian159]

22. What exactly does this bill do

and why are you people so upset about it? (No sarcasm, I just don't know either way).

Thanks

[madfloridian]

25. It is the beginning of the end of traditional Medicare.

It is the beginning of making it an HMO type thing. With no government oversight, it is disaster. HMOs have often shut down here in Florida if they were not profitable enough. Senior citizens are not profit-making folks for insurance companies.

Many are uninsurable, and if they are dropped it could mean disaster. Prices will go up quickly on traditional to run everyone out of it.

A lot more but that is the gist of it. If you already have insurance along with Medicare provided by your employer, you will eventually be dropped when the government gets tired of subsidizing your care.

On edit:
They could have just added a drug benefit for those who did not have it. It would have been quite manageable. Instead they several years ago decided to use this as the means to overhaul Medicare for the supposed profit of corporations.....who really don't want it that much anyway.

[aldian159]

26. Wow, sounds nasty

Thankfully I'm only 19 and everyone old enough to care has lots of traditional insurance/investments.

But it still really sucks. Really really sucks.

Edit: spelling

[madfloridian]

27. I think it is wonderful you are so young, and so invulnerable.

I think it is so nice that you have it made in this world. Good for you, and may you not ever experience anything but good things.

I think your post is arrogant. I think you meant it to be. That is sad, too, because there is so much tragedy around.

BTW, we do pretty well also, invested well. I have something that you don't have, and it is either there or it is not.....it is called compassion.

[KoKo]

31. When HMO's shut down you have to change doctors constantly, meaning you

can't see the doctor whom you've known, who knows you and you're shuttled off to some "new guy/gal" who's a member of the newst HMO or Patient Providor Plan...and you start out new with someone who's already been part of other groups and after awhile neither you nor the doctor have much in common because both of you have been "battered" by the "System."

In other words, it undermines the Doctor/Patient relationship which when folks get older and have more health problems is a BIG THING!

It's disruptive, and takes away both patient and doctor rights to deal with each other without some big insurance/forms/co-pays/rigamaroll to deal with.

This is a simple answer.....but it's much more complicated than this and if you aren't near retirement the rest probably doesn't matter much except you are next!

[LittleApple81]

28. Done n/t

[sam sarrha]

33. they are just privatizing medacare....

[sam sarrha]

34. done ...included my card #

[Upfront]

35. Done

Resigned today and told them all about it.

[demgrrrll]

36. Here is what can happen. Let's say you take a HMO product which

replaces medicare when you are healthy and then you develop
a chronic or terminal illness which requires ongoing care, like chemotherapy or dialysis. Let's say, as in the state of Missouri
that your Medicare HMO has made it illegal for you to purchase another secondary insurance. In the case of chemotherapy you might be required to pay 20% of the costs up front which could be a fairly large sum. In the case of dialysis your monthly 20% could be around 400-500 dollars. If you are eligible for medicaid that would cover the
20% and you would be allowed to apply for medicaid, however you would need to impoverish yourself to the point of having 999.99 in liquid assets for a single person to qualify for this program, so obviously these type of medicare HMO's benefit the corporations and their profit margin. HMO's..fine if you are healthy, a nightmare if you are not.

on Edit I had an AARP app and card that I received today and I wrote never in a million years and why don't you change your name to AARP-GOP. I will mail that out tommorrow.

[juajen]

37. My hubbie and I are not members yet

I wrote them to tell them that we will not be members until this shocking and disappointing support is reversed.

[LittleApple81]

38. Well, they just answer with pap... Here is my e-mail and their answer:

E-mail sent by me:

If you are going to worry more about your Republican friends, the drug industry, your own insurance business, and your own prospects within the corporate-robbers society, resign and let somebody who has seniors' interests at heart take the leadership of this institution.
If nothing is done, I am going to cancel my membership and campaign among my >friends so that they cancel theirs too.

Membership Number ************
__________________________

AARP’S ANSWER:

William Novelli has asked me to thank you for contacting AARP about
our position in the current debate on Medicare coverage of
prescription drugs. As you may know, AARP has endorsed the
bipartisan Medicare bill offered by the conference committee, which
includes a voluntary prescription drug benefit for everyone in
Medicare.

We believe that millions of older Americans and their families will be
helped by this legislation. The bill is not perfect, but the
legislation represents an historic breakthrough and important
milestone in the nation's commitment to strengthen and expand health
security for its citizens at a time when it is sorely needed.

The bill will provide the following:

- Prescription drug coverage at little cost to those who need it most:
people with low incomes, including those who depend on Social Security
for all or most of their income;
- Substantial relief for those with very high drug costs, and modest
relief for millions more;
- A substantial increase in protections for retiree benefits; and
- New mechanisms to push down prescription drug prices.

An unprecedented $88 billion will encourage employers to maintain
existing health retiree benefits. The legislation will also help speed
generic drugs to market and add important new preventive and chronic
care management services. This legislation helps to protect poor
seniors from future soaring prescription drug costs.

AARP is a strong advocate for expanding Medicare to cover prescription
drugs, but your help can make us even stronger. We encourage you to
call and to write your elected representatives immediately, to let him
or her know that you support measures that add an adequate, affordable
prescription drug benefit to Medicare.

Addresses for written correspondence are:

The Honorable (name) The Honorable (name)
U.S. Senate U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20510 Washington, D.C. 20515

I hope this information is helpful to you. If AARP staff can assist
you in the future with any issue, product or service, please do not
hesitate to contact us.

Karen
Member Service
[e-mail]

[Bandit]

40. Wow ~ Here is the message they sent me

Thank you for your recent communication. Your concerns are very
important to us at AARP. Please be assured that we will prepare a
response for you as quickly as possible.

Please do not reply to this message. This email address is not
monitored for responses.

[MuseRider]

39. We cancelled yesterday

and sent mail. Have not heard back yet but they did agree to refund what was left of our membership. I like what someone said above, AARP-GOP. That is about it isn't it?