News & Blogs

Jon Decker: Letter: AARP is wrong about Inflation Reduction Act

AARP Pennsylvania State Director Bill Johnston-Walsh’s opinion piece on the so-called “historic victory” that is the Inflation Reduction Act follows his organization’s misleading narrative. Claiming that a drug “price negotiation” scheme in Medicare will help seniors could not be any further from reality. Instead, the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare provisions make American health care worse. This new federal law imposes an arbitrary “price negotiation” mandate, which decreases investments in research and development, minimizes patient access…

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Jon Decker: AARP celebrates handouts for big health insurers

Seniors are being deceived. President Joe Biden’s plainly misnamed “Inflation Reduction Act” will significantly harm America’s healthcare system. Its drug pricing provisions undermine the incentives for creating cutting-edge medicines and make it harder for seniors to access the prescription drugs they count on under Medicare. But that’s not what they’re being told. The prime culprit for deceiving seniors is AARP, which recently held a town hall heralding the legislation’s passage into law as a “momentous victory,” which might be true for…

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Marion Mass: AARP: An Organization that Stands with PBM Kickbacks and Hidden Prices

A year ago, President Biden announced he would enforce an executive order issued by former President Trump that requires hospitals to post their prices publicly — to be “transparent.” Not only did the administration insist on compliance, but it doubled down by increasing the penalties for the 80% of large hospitals that had dragged their feet. Both administrations should be congratulated for the patient-friendly policy, but getting compliance has proven difficult. Patient Rights Advocate semi-annual…

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Jon Decker: Inflation Reduction Act a dead end for seniors. Why did AARP and Cortez Masto support it?

When then-President Barack Obama was trying to sell the Affordable Care Act to a skeptical public, he infamously told the American people, “If you like your health care plan, you can keep it.” That talking point was such a massive whopper that it was dubbed PolitiFact’s “Lie of the Year.” Despite this and seniors’ vocal opposition to Obamacare, AARP surreptitiously lobbied for the bill. It was a move that would irreparably harm the AARP’s reputation as a “senior…

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Charles L. Hooper and David R. Henderson: Expensive Prescription Drugs Are a Bargain

The Inflation Reduction Act has eight provisions intended to reduce future drug prices. Some observers were surely pleased that Congress gave the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services new powers to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies. They shouldn’t have been. The Inflation Reduction Act won’t noticeably reduce inflation and it will do little or nothing to lower the cost of healthcare. Forcing drug companies to charge lower prices will likely lead to fewer new drugs. Virtually…

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AARP Has a Staggering Conflict of Interest

Kimberley Strassel poses an all-too-crucial question: “Whom Does AARP Serve?” (Potomac Watch, Aug. 5). It’s an inquiry we’ve had for quite some time, and unfortunately for AARP’s members, the answer isn’t seniors. Ms. Strassel notes that 2020 was the first time AARP was paid over $1 billion in corporate royalties, much of it derived from UnitedHealth Group. Compare that with the roughly $300 million AARP receives from membership dues, and the conflict becomes clear. Even with a conservative…

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Marion Mass: Wrong Diagnosis + Wrong Prescription = Congressional Malpractice

Supporters of the Inflation Reduction Act have made claims about lowering the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs. But the bill does neither and sets a dangerous precedent that will lead to less access to care and fewer cures for patients. In fact, not only does it harm healthcare – it funnels money toward the two entities that are currently the biggest problems in healthcare – Pharmacy Benefit Managers and insurers. The proposal claims to give the…

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Whom Does AARP Serve?

It’s been a decade since that infamous liberal ad showing then vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan pushing granny off a cliff. Don’t expect a similar accusation today against the conflict-of-interest known as the AARP, no matter that the seniors’ group deserves it. The AARP, which claims to advocate policies that serve the interests of tens of millions of retirees, has gone all in for the giant tax-and-spend deal announced last week by Sen. Joe Manchin and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The…

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