AARP Backs Democrats in Senate Health Care Fight

[cal04]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/02/us/politics/AP-US-Health-Care-Overhaul.html?_r=1

With a Senate showdown looming, the politically potent AARP rode to the rescue of Democrats on Wednesday, supporting $460 billion in Medicare cuts to help pay for landmark health insurance legislation.

As Republicans pressed to restore the cuts, AARP said Democrats merely were recommending elimination of waste and inefficiency within the giant health care program for seniors.

''Most importantly, the legislation does not reduce any guaranteed Medicare benefits,'' A. Barry Rand, the AARP's CEO, said in a letter to senators.

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'Shame on AARP,'' McCain said earlier in the week as he pressed his case to restore the cuts Democrats wrote into their legislation. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., accused Democrats repeatedly of seeking to cut ''Grandma's Medicare'' and use the money to finance other programs.

(snip)
But Rand, in his letter, wrote, ''AARP believes that savings can be found in Medicare through smart, targeted changes aimed at improving health care delivery, eliminating waste and inefficiency, and aggressively weeding out fraud and abuse.''

[dhpgetsit]

1. Yes. The corporate welfare Congress packed into the bill has UnitedHealth salivating.