With families still struggling after years of high inflation, “affordability” remains top of mind for policymakers in Washington. But one organization has little credibility on this front: AARP. Formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, a more accurate moniker might be Against Affordability for Retired Persons because AARP makes most of its money by overcharging its members.
As I outline in a new report for American Commitment, its most recently available financial statement shows that AARP received a payment of over $9 billion — yes, that’s “billion” with a “B” — from UnitedHealth Group. That doesn’t just make AARP financially dependent on the nation’s largest health insurer. It also reveals the way that the organization remains afloat.