Better Health for All Ages
Central to the AARP's mission is promoting and protecting the health and well-being of older Americans. This goal recognizes that a person's health is a complex issue influenced by many factors, not just medical care alone. AARP's health policies are built on several core principles aimed at ensuring health equity and improving access to care.
Promoting Quality, Affordable Healthcare
AARP advocates for policies that ensure all individuals have access to quality, affordable healthcare throughout their lives, regardless of wealth, health status, or location. This includes robust support for Medicare, seeking to strengthen the program and improve its benefits to cover essential services like vision, dental, and hearing. Advocacy also focuses on expanding coverage and reducing out-of-pocket costs to make healthcare less burdensome for beneficiaries.
Fighting High Prescription Drug Costs
For many older adults, the cost of prescription drugs is a significant financial burden. AARP leads the charge to lower these costs through legislative action, including advocating for policies that allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. The organization also works at state levels to ensure fair drug pricing, pushing back against high prices set by pharmaceutical companies.
Supporting Long-Term Services and Caregivers
As people age, many require long-term services and supports (LTSS) to live independently. AARP's policy goals emphasize ensuring access to affordable, high-quality LTSS that maximize the dignity and independence of older adults. Furthermore, the organization is a strong proponent for family caregivers, offering resources and advocating for policies that enable and help offset the costs associated with caregiving.
Financial Resilience and Economic Security
AARP’s policy on financial resilience is designed to help older Americans achieve economic security as they age. This involves protecting foundational programs like Social Security and providing opportunities for lifetime financial savings.
Strengthening Social Security and Retirement Savings
A key priority is safeguarding Social Security to ensure it remains a financially sound program for current and future generations. AARP works to update the system and promote other retirement savings efforts, enabling individuals to build savings throughout their working lives. The goal is to ensure that all Americans can retire with dignity and financial security.
Combating Age Discrimination
For those who wish or need to work longer, AARP fights against age discrimination in employment. Through advocacy, education, and legal support, the organization protects older workers' rights and works to challenge negative stereotypes about older Americans in the workplace.
Creating Livable Communities
AARP’s policy for livable communities aims to create environments where people of all incomes and abilities can thrive as they age. Livable communities are designed to promote physical independence, public safety, and opportunities for community engagement.
Promoting Affordable Housing and Transportation
Affordable housing and accessible transportation are cornerstones of a livable community. AARP advocates for policies that ensure a range of high-quality, affordable housing options and transportation choices are available to meet the needs of all residents. This allows older adults to age in place and remain engaged members of their communities.
Designing Age-Friendly Public Spaces
From parks and public transit to sidewalks and streets, AARP promotes designing community features that are accessible and supportive for people of all ages and abilities. This emphasis on accessibility ensures that older adults can maintain their independence and continue participating fully in community life.
Protecting Consumer and Individual Rights
In an increasingly complex world, AARP works to ensure that older Americans are treated fairly and protected from fraud and exploitation. This includes advocating for stronger consumer protections and individual rights.
Fighting Fraud and Scams
With fraud and scams targeting older adults becoming more sophisticated, AARP’s Fraud Watch Network provides information to help people protect themselves and their finances. The organization also advocates for tougher laws to hold criminals accountable and combat rapidly evolving technological threats.
Ensuring Marketplace Fairness
Everyone deserves to be treated fairly as a consumer. AARP advocates for marketplace regulations that prevent exploitation and ensure transparency, especially in industries that heavily impact older adults, such as healthcare and finance.
AARP Policy Comparison
To better understand the multifaceted nature of AARP's policy work, here is a comparison of two key areas:
| Feature | Financial Resilience | Health Advocacy |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Lifetime financial security, retirement savings, protection from exploitation. | Affordable, high-quality care, prescription drug costs, long-term care access. |
| Key Advocacy Areas | Social Security, retirement savings programs, anti-age discrimination laws. | Medicare, prescription drug pricing laws, support for family caregivers. |
| Community Impact | Enables older adults to remain financially independent and secure. | Promotes access to care and improved quality of life for the 50+ population. |
The Policy Development Process
AARP’s policy recommendations are not developed in a vacuum. They are created through a careful and ongoing process that integrates extensive input from AARP members, volunteers, and policy experts. This inclusive process ensures that the policies accurately reflect the concerns and needs of the diverse 50+ population, guiding the organization’s advocacy at the national, state, and local levels.
Conclusion: A Holistic Vision for Aging
The overarching vision for AARP policy is a society that allows all individuals to live with dignity and purpose, enabling them to fulfill their goals and dreams as they age. By focusing on better health, financial resilience, livable communities, and consumer protections, AARP provides a comprehensive framework for creating positive social change for older Americans. These interconnected policy goals are foundational to AARP's work, providing crucial direction and purpose in its mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age.
For more in-depth information, you can explore the official AARP Policy Book.
