AARP Hearing Center
The following documents related to health care concerns of people 50-plus are presented in reverse chronological order.
June
S: In June, 2014, AARP urges Congress to pass a simple OAA reauthorization that maintains existing programs without jeopardizing underfunded services for the nation’s seniors. (Read)
March
L: On March 21, 2014, AARP sent a letter to Senate leadership thanking them for their bipartisan and bicameral work to reform Medicare provider reimbursement and the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. AARP also urged leadership to pass the Medicare SGR Repeal and Beneficiary Access Improvement Act (S. 2110), noting that this bill addresses many of AARP’s concerns related to beneficiary protections. (PDF)
February
L: AARP sent a letter to the entire Congress expressing encouragement for the bipartisan agreement to fix Medicare’s flawed physician payment formula (the Sustainable Growth Rate or “SGR”), but also expressed concerns for the method in which the legislation pays for the fix. (PDF)
L: AARP sent a letter on Feb. 7, 2014 to CMS providing policy proposals that seek to mitigate some of the provider disruptions recently experienced by beneficiaries in the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. As CMS continues to bring MA insurer payments more in-line with traditional Medicare – an important goal we continue to support – CMS should also take steps to minimize any potential disruptions to the care of MA participants. (PDF)
L: AARP sent a letter to both the U.S. House and Senate in support of “The Agricultural Act of 2014” (HR 2642) which demonstrated bipartisan agreement on legislation that will help protect food assistance for families in need of support, strengthen fraud provisions, and ensure stable funding that addresses safety net nutritional needs. The legislation balances the protection of our nation’s agriculture economy while implementing significant reforms to nutrition programs that will save taxpayers billions of dollars. (PDF) – House Version
January
L: On January 28, 2014, AARP sent a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Members of the Senate Finance, House Ways & Means, and House Energy & Commerce Committees expressing our encouragement by their effort to provide a thoughtful and realistic path towards a new provider reimbursement system that will increase stability and ensure Medicare beneficiaries receive high-quality, high-value care. (PDF)
