New Jersey should be proud of the hard work being done by its congressional representation in bringing our nation closer than ever to meaningful health-care reform.
Against a constant backdrop of myths and misinformation, both New Jersey senators and seven of 13 New Jersey representatives drowned out the chatter and focused on the positive changes reform will make to America’s broken health-care system.
For years, AARP has been fighting for health reform that ensures that our members and all older Americans have the health care they need. Our priorities have always been clear — protect and strengthen Medicare, stop insurance-company abuses, control skyrocketing costs and ensure that older Americans have affordable access to health care.
We’ve fought to protect the guaranteed benefits that millions of people in Medicare depend on and to strengthen the program for today and tomorrow.
We’ve fought to strengthen longtermservices and supports that allow older individuals and people with disabilities to live independently in their own homes and communities and to receive the help they need without having to spend down to poverty.
We’ve fought to help many of New Jersey’s seniors afford needed medications and avoid more intensive and costly care later in life by closing the dreaded gap in Medicare drug coverage known as the “doughnut hole.” The House of Representatives bill completely closes the “doughnut hole,” while Senate leaders have pledged to provide millions of seniors with relief by closing the “doughnut hole” during the conference committee process.
And we’ve fought to place restrictions on discriminatory practices that allow insurers to charge exorbitant premiums based only on age.
We applaud New Jersey’s lawmakerswho, by voting “yes,” joined AARP’s nearly 40 million members in standing up and fighting for meaningful health-care reform. Now, as the conference process continues, we hope Congress will continue to make improvements to health-reform legislation to ensure that millions of Americans, in New Jersey and beyond, have access to quality, affordable health coverage.
Sy Larson
East Brunswick
State President AARP New Jersey