As members and potential members of AARP, we believe the time has now come for our organization to deploy its significant influence and demand that a public health insurance plan be included as a choice in any health care reform.
It is clear that the only realistic chance of extending affordable coverage to the millions now without it---and to the millions with inadequate coverage (increasingly many more Americans due to job losses and other factors) ---is through a public health insurance plan open to all and available on a level playing field with private insurance. The benefits of such a plan include:
1. An alternative to private, for-profit insurance plans, which have a long track record of ever-higher premiums for fewer health benefits. Among those affected by their policies are AARP members from 50 to 65 years old.
2. Comprehensive benefits wth coverage for all
3. Maximization of our health dollars and control of costs
The AARP is one of the few advocacy organizations with the resources and political influence to counter the massive lobbying effort underway right now in Washington aimed at blocking a serious public health insurance option.
We are concerned that our politicians are proving overly susceptible to pressures from the private health insurance lobby, especially on the hot button issue of the public plan. President Obama has said that health care "should be a right for every American," and he campaigned on his commitment to give Americans the choice of a public health insurance plan alongside the plans of private insurers.
Now is the time for AARP to speak out forcefully. AARP has always played a strong leadership role not just for our older citizens, but for the country as a whole. We urge AARP to seize this opportunity and join with the President to see that truly comprehensive health care reform is enacted.
Thank you for taking the time to read our petition.
For financial reason and compassion for my fellow citizens. Not everybody is capable of working for more than the minimum wage and get insurance. If we don't take care of each other, who will?
My five adult children with families are all struggling with various health insurance problems from too expensive to refuaal to cover basic illnesses despite years of premium payments. Disgaceful behavior on the part of insurance companies.
Would force insurance companies to take you with a pre-condition. Let Obama handle it. He's a very intelligent person. A lot more than the reps and senators from Oklahoma!!!!!! All they are is a bunch or right-wing, capitalists 'at any cost' thugs. They've got their money and don't want to share with the least of us. But "God is on their side" What CRAP!!!!!!!!
I've seen to many people suffer and die at the hands of the private system we have now. I've seen to many people bankrupted by this evil health care empire.
Same as above.
Why is health care reform important to you?
i am 56 yrs.i am ready to retire in 6 yrs.the way things are going i will not be able to afford a health care plan that i can afford.
There is too much money unnecessarily being paid out for multiple procedures which only add to the doctors bottom line and not to the health of the patient.Not enough is being provided for preventative care.
Because it is the right thing to do.
I honestly see our emergency rooms continue to be full. I often hear stories of long waits of greater than 6 hours in the Washington DC area. Many patients do not realize that emergency rooms were originally designed for emergencies such as heart attacks and strokes or severe bleeding. However, Americans and visitors from other countries believe they need to be seen for fungus on their toes and for the flu they could not get over during their regular work hours or that their employer would not pay them if they took off of work. I truly believe we need to re-open Public Health Clinics along side the emergency rooms and to promote primary health care providers in the Public Clinics that continue to see patients around the clock, unlike our current system where private doctors close their doors at 3P. I believe, we need to have help from all levels of government and private industry to overcome availability. In the hospital, I often work with patients who have been told to lose weight, but have not been told not how to do it. Many are surprised that nutrition and exercise are necessary to change their situation, and that psychological problems do affect their outcomes. I would like our government to pass legislation to re-introduce physical education into every level of our educational system and to encourage more nutritional and personal financial courses starting in pre-school. Personal financial courses would include the cost risk of not having health insurance. Nutrition classes could educate students on how to cook healthy meals and promote health weight. The same with physical education programs. I would also like our government to use our USDA county extension advisors to have nutritionist provide free nutrition classes for each county across the USA. In cities, the community centers that are generally funded by county governments would be a likely place to offer nutritional classes and exercise facilities that cost only a couple of dollars per family. Of course this would require more nutritionist than is currently available. So that will require government interventions such as funding for Registered Dietians to get their Master's Degree. In addition, these ideas require funding for exercise physiologist that have their Master's degree who plan safe exercise plans for individuals with obesity, cardiac, cancer, or diabetic diseases instead of health food store employees who do not have degrees of any kind provide information to the consummer. To deal with the individual patient's psych/social concerns and frustrations, I would like to be able to refer patients to a healthcare provider that they could learn how to deal with stress and to have their health care pay for the referral. I believe every patient that understands their problems and how to overcome them are better able to decide for themselves how to overcome the first signs of being overweight, high blood pressure, insulin insensitivity, or other health problems.
Let's clarify what we really need. We need health CARE not health INSURANCE. Homeowner's insurance does not pay for home maintenance. Auto insurance does not pay for automobile upkeep. Health care should not be a for-profit industry. It is a service this advanced nation should provide to all citizens. AARP should make a concerted effort to study the realities of health care in one or more nations such as Germany, Canada, Great Britain, France or Switzerland and publish the FACTS widely. There is so much mis-information being promulgated, it's no wonder most people are scared of change.
I do not have health insurance and am one major illness away from financial ruin. I have worked all of my life and always paid my bills, but all of this could change with any major illness or accident.
I want to see an improvement of cost/benefit delivery to insureds - and with much more emphasis on prevention
I will not be able to live in my home country, the USA, once I turn 60 because I cannot take the chance of losing everything I worked for all of my life because I got sick. Only in the USA can you lose everything you worked for all of your life just because you got sick. THIS HAS TO STOP!!!
Quality of life should be afforded to the people of the United States. We trade off our freedom and income to obey the laws of the U.S., but we haven't received an equal benefit from healthcare. Reform is needed in order to improve on the quality of life and enable each individual to be given the opportunity to acheive it.
It is important because there are problems with the current system and simply said it doesn't have to be this way, it could be better.
