Majority of AARP’s Revenue Comes from Corporate Royalties (Nearly $10 Billion from UnitedHealth Group), Not Member Dues
Media Contact: Michael DeSantis
michael@americancommitment.org
Washington, D.C. — March 26, 2025 — Today, as part of its “Commitment to Seniors” initiative, American Commitment announces the release of a new comprehensive report on AARP’s financing and conflicts of interest conducted by Juniper Research Group, along with new polling data from McLaughlin & Associates highlighting serious concerns about AARP’s financial entanglements with UnitedHealth Group.
UnitedHealth Group’s earnings for 2023 surpassed $400 billion, marking an eight percent increase from the previous year and solidifying its position as one of America’s largest companies. In addition to its health insurance and PBM businesses, UnitedHealth Group also owns various subsidiary businesses, including primary care, urgent care, pharmacies, surgery centers, and home care services. As the nation’s largest health insurer, UnitedHealth Group also is the largest employer of healthcare professionals in the U.S., further cementing its dominance in the healthcare industry.
Key findings from the report include:
- AARP received $1.1 billion in total corporate royalties in 2023—nearly four times more than it collected from member dues. Corporate royalties now make up over 60% of AARP’s total revenue.
- AARP member dues revenue declined by over $2.5 million in 2023, yet corporate royalty revenues grew by over $24 million.
- AARP has received an estimated $9.9 billion in tax-free revenue from UnitedHealth since 2007.
- In 2023 alone, AARP earned an estimated $875 million from UnitedHealth, a $13 million increase over 2022.
- AARP strongly supported the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which redirected over $250 billion from Medicare to fund unrelated spending projects, despite strong opposition from senior voters (including over three-quarters of voters 55+ oppose AARP doing so).
- Meanwhile, AARP remained notably silent on key health care policy issues impacting seniors, including bipartisan insurer-PBM reforms, rising premiums, Medicare overcharges, and denials.
Key findings from the poll include:
- 89% of voters 55+ are concerned that AARP is paid billions of dollars in corporate royalties from health insurance corporations like UnitedHealth Group, while simultaneously lobbying legislators and government officials on healthcare issues and programs like Medicare.
- 93% of voters 55+ are concerned that AARP maintains such a significant financial relationship with UnitedHealth Group, considering the allegations that they and other insurance companies have possibly overcharged Medicare and other government programs millions of dollars.
- 84% of voters 55+ believe the billions of dollars paid to AARP in corporate royalties from health insurers like UnitedHealth Group creates a conflict of interest that could impact AARP’s ability to best represent the interests of its members and other older Americans that rely on Medicare.
“These findings are yet more confirmation that AARP is beholden to its corporate partners, primarily UnitedHealth Group, and has abandoned seniors,” shared Phil Kerpen, president of American Commitment. “The Trump Administration and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle should put a spotlight on this conflict of interest and advance meaningful policies that seniors want and care about, like PBM reform legislation and the EPIC Act to eliminate the Biden Pill Penalty.”
“Older Americans like me should be able to trust such a well-known organization that claims to advocate for seniors, yet AARP’s multi-billion-dollar financial entanglement with UnitedHealth Group seems to take priority over its members’ needs,” said Bob Johnson, a retiree and Senior Advisor for Commitment to Seniors. “It’s evident that AARP does not speak for older Americans, and the findings from this groundbreaking research and polling only emphasize this widespread opinion.”
“The financial relationship between AARP and UnitedHealth Group raises serious ethical concerns. With billions in corporate royalties flowing from the largest health insurer in the country to an organization claiming to advocate for seniors, this report highlights that AARP’s priorities are more aligned with its bottom line than with the well-being of older Americans,” stated Chris Jacobs, CEO of Juniper Research Group.
“Our polling shows that an overwhelming majority of older voters are deeply troubled by AARP’s financial ties to UnitedHealth Group,” shared Jim McLaughlin, President of McLaughlin & Associates, “Seniors recognize the conflict of interest and do not trust an organization that profits so heavily from the very industry accused of overcharging Medicare and other government programs millions of dollars.”
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American Commitment is dedicated to restoring and protecting our nation’s commitment to free markets, economic growth, Constitutionally-limited government, property rights, and individual freedom. American Commitment engages in critical public policy fights over the size and intrusiveness of government through direct advocacy, strategic policy analysis, and grassroots mobilization. Visit us online at www.AmericanCommitment.org.
Juniper Research Group is a consulting and analytics firm based in Washington, DC, led by CEO Chris Jacobs, a noted policy analyst and author whose opinions and work has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Politico and other national news platforms. Jacobs previously served as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Heritage Foundation and the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, as well as a policy advisor to Members of Congress on Capitol Hill. He is the author of “The Case Against Single Payer.” More about Juniper Research Group can be found online at www.JuniperResearchGroup.com.
McLaughlin & Associates is a national survey research and strategic services company whose personnel have played a key role in assisting successful organizations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Latin America. McLaughlin & Associates specializes in public opinion research, media planning and buying services, and strategic consulting services. More about McLaughlin & Associates can be found online at wwww.mclaughlinonline.com.