AARP's Tradition of Betrayal

AARP's Tradition of Betrayal - by Stephen Lendman

Founded in 1958 for aged 50 and older Americans, AARP call itself "a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization (dedicated to) improv(ing) the quality of their lives," even though from inception it sold insurance to earn royalties - now to its 40 million members in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands while claiming a mandate to:

-- deliver "value to members through information, advocacy and service;"

-- work "tirelessly to fulfill its vision: a society in which everyone ages with dignity and purpose, and in which AARP helps people fulfill their goals and dreams;" and

-- speak "with one voice - united by a common motto: 'To serve, not be served."

Today it's branches include:

-- AARP Foundation focusing on "education....service, (and) legal advocacy efforts;"

-- AARP Services, providing "marketplace access to services that people need and want" related to "health and financial products, travel and leisure offerings, and life event services;"

-- AARP Financial, Inc. providing "financial advice and education, and managed AARP-endorsed financial and insurance products," that include health care and other insurance as well as equity, bond and money market mutual funds sold to members;

-- AARP Global Network of "likeminded, nonpartisan, national organizations (in five countries) working to meet the needs of older adults around the world;" and

-- NRTA: AARP's Educator Community (formerly the National Retired Teachers Association) comprised mainly of "educators and school personnel dedicated to educational opportunities, advocacy, and service."

On March 9, 2009, Roll Call's Katie Kindelan's article titled, "Defining a Future at AARP" described the organization as "perhaps the nation's most powerful and well-funded advocacy" group, both inside and beyond the Beltway, impressively headquartered in a 10-story, 500,000 foot DC building.

Nonprofit in name only, "AARP is the equivalent of a Fortune 500 company, employing a staff of 2,419 employees, (incurring) $1.16 billion in operating expenses and overseeing annual revenues (well above) $1 billion," around 60% of which comes from so-called Medigap supplemental insurance sales.

According to Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), "Some of these products are total rip offs," so bad, in fact, that AARP was forced to withdraw its Essential Health Insurance Plan and Essential Plus Health Insurance Plan, developed by United Health Group and sold to 44,000 of its members.

PNHP calls AARP "part of the problem and not part of the solution. It is nothing but an insurance (and financial) broker disguised as an advocacy group - and they will never take on the health insurance industry. (It) represent(s) the insurance industry (and its own self-interest) rather than (its members and) the public welfare in discussions about health reform."

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