AARP Kentucky Pushing Congress on Health Care Reform

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Sep 9th, 2009

AARP Kentucky Pushing Congress on Health Care Reform

Public News Service-Kentucky

The AARP has a lot riding on health care reform, and the nation's largest senior organization has been spending much of the summer talking, listening and explaining details in the debate over how to change health care in America. AARP Kentucky is wrapping up town hall meetings and 11 days at the State Fair, where they've heard plenty regarding a major overhaul of the country's health care system.

Tihisha Rawlins, associate state director for grassroots for AARP Kentucky, says the group's primary goal in health care reform is to ensure that all Americans have affordable, quality choices.

"That means making sure that people between the ages 50 and 64 can have coverage, guaranteed access, because we find that people in this age group often have pre-existing medical conditions, and if they lose their jobs for whatever reason are locked out of the system."

Rawlins adds that AARP is confident the public wants a new way of coming to grips with the nation's health care needs that's efficient and effective and provides coverage for everyone. She says it's the top challenge for national lawmakers as they return to work this week.

She says one priority is preserving and protecting Medicare.

"We just don't see this hurting Medicare in any way. We actually see this helping Medicare and making it stronger, so that our children and grandchildren will have access to that system."

AARP says it wants to work with Congress to reach a bipartisan solution that will provide affordable, quality health care coverage for all Americans.

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