Sign up now (at AARP.org/events)
for the AARP National Event &
Expo, September 30 through
October 2. Or enjoy it via Orlando
@ 50+…The Digital Experience.
For the first time, AARP members
can view presentations and visit
exhibit booths online at AARP.org/
events, through March 2011.
AARP IN
ACTION
ASK LEE
A NEED FOR NURSES
By 2025 the United
States could be short
up to 260,000 nurses.
The Center to Champion
Nursing in America (an
initiative of AARP, the AARP
Foundation, and the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation) is
working to expand the capacity
to educate nurses: Last year 40
percent of the project’s 30 states
reported increases in enrollment
( championnursing.org).
many experts think some companies
may reduce extra benefits—such as
vision insurance—or raise their premiums or co-payments.
Insurance companies are prohibited
by law from taking away guaranteed
benefits such as doctor visits and hospital care. Your plan will send you a letter
in October advising you of any changes.
If you have questions, call your plan or
800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).
HEALTH-LAW LOWDOWN
Get the info you need about the
new health care reform law from
AARP brochures and fact sheets,
including “How the New Health
Care Law Benefits You” (D19272)
(Spanish D19289) (888-687-2277;
aarp.org/getthefacts).
Q: What’s next on the AARP
advocacy agenda?
A: We base our advocacy agenda
on what we learn from reaching out
through our publications, website, call
center, and member communications,
as well as through polling and focus
groups. Right now we’re closely monitoring how health care reform is being
implemented at the state and federal
levels. Our advocacy priorities include
strengthening Social Security and
ensuring that Social Security benefits
aren’t cut to reduce the deficit, protecting Americans 50 and up from utility
rate increases, lowering prescription-drug costs, making sure older Americans
can find doctors to treat them, expanding job opportunities for older workers,
and combating age discrimination.
PRESIDEN T W. Lee Hammond
PRESIDEN T-ELECT Robert Romasco
BOARD CHAIR Phil Zarlengo
BOARD VICE-CHAIR Gail E. Aldrich
SECRE TARY/ TREASURER A. James
Forbes Jr.
CLASS OF 2012 Leobardo Estrada,
William J. Hall, Mara Mayor, Maeona
Mendelson, Robert Romasco, George
Rowan, Phil Zarlengo
CLASS OF 2014 Gail E. Aldrich, Allen
Douma, A. James Forbes Jr., Hubert
H. Humphrey III, Jacob Lozada,
J. David Nelson, Charles E. Reed
CLASS OF 2016 Jeannine English,
Catherine Georges, Barbara O’Connor,
John Penn, Diane Pratt, Carol
Raphael, Fernando Torres-Gil
AARP Board
Q: Will I lose my Medicare
Advantage benefits because
of health care reform?
A: The new law reduces the subsidies
Medicare was paying to private insurance companies to treat Medicare
Advantage patients. These extra payments drove up Medicare premiums.
We don’t know how insurance companies that offer Medicare Advantage
plans will react to the changes, although
Q: Why does AARP need 53
local offices?
A: Ten years ago AARP had offices in only
a handful of states. To develop stronger
relationships with members, we had to
make a difference in your communities.
Now with offices in all 50 states plus the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the
U.S. Virgin Islands, we’re increasing advocacy, education, and community service.
For example, last year AARP’s state-level efforts protected some 600,000
Tampa-area residents from a $90 million
proposed electricity rate hike. And AARP
helped hundreds of thousands more by
expanding energy-bill assistance in
Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New
Jersey, New York, and Utah. For news
about your state go to aarp.org/states.
—W. Lee Hammond
GOT A QUESTION
ABOUT AARP?
Write to Ask Lee, AARP, 601 E St. NW, Washington,
DC 20049, or e-mail AskLee@aarp.org.
