AARP Ohio Activists Helped Secure Medicare Victory

AARP Thanks Congressional Delegation for Keeping Medicare Fair

AARP Ohio applauds its congressional delegation for supporting the bipartisan Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (HR 6331). The votes of Ohio’s elected officials were key when the U.S. Senate voted 70 to 26 and the U.S. House of Representative voted 383 to 41 to override the White House veto of this critically needed legislation.

“Ohioans were well represented in Congress on Tuesday (July 15,2008) when both of our senators and all but two of our representatives voted for a bipartisan bill that will begin to bring down health care costs for millions of Americans,” said Jane Taylor, AARP Ohio’s state director.

“We are disappointed that Representatives John Boehner and Jim Jordan failed to join the leaders who voted to override the president’s misguided veto.”

AARP has been advocating for several months to ensure that lawmakers keep Medicare fair for the people who depend on it when Congress addresses physician payment cuts. AARP has also been advocating for this bill’s improvements to Medicare, particularly the low-income programs and electronic prescribing.

Since launching the “Keep Medicare Fair” initiative in April, AARP’s grassroots volunteers and activists have sent more than 1.2 million messages to Congress and the White House. As part of this effort, an AARP survey released May 19 found that of adults 50-plus, 81 percent oppose additional increases to Medicare premiums and 66 percent are less likely to vote for a Member of Congress who supports those increases.

AARP notified the 110th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its 39 million members and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members.

http://www.aarp.org/community/AARPOH/journals/AARP_Ohio_Activists_Helpe/461832

From John Curry
7/22/08