AARP

AARP is a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) nonprofit that advocates for older Americans on a number of federal health and fiscal issues such as Medicare and Social Security,[10][11][12][13][14][15] and at the state and local level for better community healthcare services and lower utility rates.[25] According to its 2018 Consolidated Financial Statement, the largest sources of income were: AARP was founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired public school teacher and principal in California.AARP expanded beyond health insurance and began developing other benefits, programs, and services for its members, each tailored to the needs of people aged 55 and older and filling a gap in the marketplace.[38] For example, she created one of the first modern retirement homes, Grey Gables, in Ojai, California, in 1954, designed to keep older residents healthy, active, and socially engaged.[38][44][41] In 1958, AARP began publishing its magazine called Modern Maturity to spread the word about the association, keep members informed of its activities, and publicize issues affecting older adults.[49] More than 2,500 delegates met in Washington, D.C. over four days to address challenges facing older adults such as poverty, housing, and healthcare, and develop policy recommendations for the administration.It constructed the House of Freedom in downtown Washington, D.C., the nation's first universal design home easily accessible by older adults and people with disabilities.[38] In 1968, AARP launched Tax-Aide, which matched low and moderate-income people with trained volunteers who provided free tax preparation and filing services.It established a travel service that took members on modestly priced domestic and international trips, created a retired senior volunteer program, and offered a range of discounts.Hundreds of members wrote to AARP in the early years, explaining that auto insurers and rental companies were charging punishing rates for older drivers, classifying them as high risk and reckless just because of their age.[66] In 1995, working with the National Association of Attorneys General and the FBI, AARP helped expose a series of boiler room operations targeting thousands of potential phone fraud victims across the country.Acting as victims, AARP members volunteered to collect evidence for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Operation Senior Sentinel targeting illegal telemarketers.This action resulted in a settlement which helped the employees regain their positions, receive back pay, and required the university to hold training sessions with its staff on preventing age bias.[83] Continuing a theme that began at its founding, AARP during this period used its lobbying efforts to advocate against reductions in Medicare benefits and to protect the federal program that offered health coverage to older Americans.[84] In 2003, AARP supported legislation proposed by Republican President George W. Bush that included partial coverage for prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries, among other things.[85][86] Democratic congressional leaders, seeking a more generous benefit, strongly opposed the bill and prompted thousands of AARP members to quit in protest.[87][88] Six years later, in 2009, AARP endorsed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) proposed by Democratic President Barack Obama, which protected those with pre-existing health conditions, limited the amount that insurance companies could charge because of age, provided tax credits, and improved drug coverage in Medicare.[95] In 2016, the organization created Staying Sharp, a program which allowed people to evaluate their brain health through a scientifically based assessment and receive tips for slowing cognitive decline.[98] Its focus areas have included Medicare, affordable health insurance, and lower prescription drug costs and its recent engagement is a reflection of this long-standing involvement.[99] AARP testified before Congress in support of the Older Americans Act[100] and the amendments to Social Security[101] that created the Medicare Program, which President Johnson enacted into law in 1965.[111][112][113][114] In 2019, AARP mounted a multi-million dollar campaign against the pharmaceutical industry and its high drug prices called “Stop Rx Greed” [115] and supported a bipartisan bill by Sens.[134] As of October 2009, health care reform contained a proposal to trim an associated program Medicare Advantage, which was expected to increase demand for Medigap policies.The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch reported: "AARP took the debate about Medicare and Social Security from what it called behind closed doors in Washington to a series of town hall meetings around the country to make sure retirees have a voice in the discussion.The AARP also called for the SSA to "step up non-monetary measures to improve customer service and quality," stating that all issues won't be resolved with more funding alone.In New York, AARP helped achieve the following reforms: Care Act, Assisted Living protections, Anti Predatory Lending, Paid Family Leave, and Affordable Housing.[175] The Movies for Grownups Awards "recognizes achievements of those in the entertainment industry age 50 and over, and the films that speak to that vast audience",[176] as well as supports the overall goals of the AARP.[177] Past recipients include Denzel Washington,[178] Annette Bening,[178] Jeff Bridges,[178] Viola Davis,[178] Morgan Freeman,[179][178][180] Michael Douglas,[181] and Lily Tomlin.[183][184][185][186] “The Longevity Economy Outlook: How people age 50 and older are fueling economic growth, stimulating jobs, and creating opportunities for all” is a 2019 report jointly released by AARP and The Economist Intelligence Unit.[189] During the coronavirus pandemic, AARP hosted state and national telephone town halls to share information about the virus, vaccines, and boosters, as well as other relevant topics such as mental and financial challenges for those aged fifty-plus, nursing homes, and voting procedures.[197] In a November 2008 editorial, The Des Moines Register and the Canada Free Press called AARP a lobbying group masquerading as a non-profit, meanwhile charging high membership fees and selling expensive private health care plans.