AARP's John Rother: What happens if you lose coverage?

What if you already have health insurance through your employer? What does health care reform have to offer YOU?

This isn't about "other" people. It's about you and your family.
It's about your future.
You've probably noticed that premiums are skyrocketing.
Theyve doubled in eight years, and theres no end in sight.
But you're also paying a price in ways that arent so obvious.
If you have an employer plan, youre paying for it with lower wages.
Youre also being charged to cover people who don't have insurance.
These costs are rising fast. But the potential costs you face are even more dangerous.
Hopefully, you wont suffer a major illness. But if you do, it could ruin you financially.
We often hear from people who are shocked to learn what their insurance does NOT cover.
Three-fourths of people who go bankrupt because of medical bills actually had coverage. [New York Times 7/1/09]
But let's say you are satisfied with your insurance coverage.
How safe you are from losing it?
The answer for a lot of people is: Less safe than you realize.
This can happen if you lose your job, or you change jobs. Or maybe your employer stops offering health care.
Right now, more than 14,000 people are losing coverage every day. Families USA]
Every day.
When that happens, you and your family are at the mercy of the individual insurance market, which can turn down -- or charge unaffordable premiums -- to anyone they think might get sick.
All the problems I've described are getting worse.
They are affecting more people every day including people who thought they had nothing to worry about.
The hopeful news is that health care reform would protect you and your family.
Health reform would guarantee that you always have choices of quality, affordable coverage no matter what happens.
That's whether you lose your job, get sick or switch jobs for any reason.
These aren't rare events that only happen to "other" people. These things happen all the time.
They could happen to you.
And if they do, don't you want protection you can count on?

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Edward
• Kennedy
• Health
• insurance
• premium
• President
• Obama
• care
• rationing
• elderly
• senior
• AARP
• membership
• healthcare
• hospital
• doctor
• medical
• panel
• John
• Rother
• executive
• health
• reform
• sick
• well
• medicine
• prescription
• drug
• Medicare
• coverage
• appendix
• Hillary
• Clinton
• swine
• flu
• TV
• Shurvon
• SHAARP

[romanmel1]

This is the A-Hole who said in the WSJ article of 6/17/11 that AARP could consider taking away some benefits from it's members. Like a mother eating her babies. My AARP membership will not be renewed.

[jihadsuitcase]

Well, you can hope this doesnt happen...I bet its not covered.

youtube.com/watch?v=3RoPWg0QhM­U

[anyusmoon1]

'fixes' to prevent what you describe r 1 thing, but the 2000 + pgs (which r easily trebled a search of existing codes CFR and USC 4 changes/amendments/strikes) is wholly unacceptable.

Youve no idea the burden placed on future generations of the US 4 a % like your wife. Additionally u have no idea the immediate burden on individual freedoms of EVERYONE! This is NOT the American way, but I don't expect a railway worker to get that, whole codes/laws were rewritten for that gov scam operation.

[anyusmoon1]

It's about SOCIALISM and AARP should be ASHAMED of themselves for absconding with their membership dollars and become lobbyists for socialist agenda's. I have witnessed your handling of message boards on AARP's website, you STIFFLE dissenting opinion and only allow pretext as email letters to congress supporting your abomination.

LIAR- what kind of CHOICE is NO CHOICE? How about we put YOU in JAIL or YOU pay the fines associated for NOT CHOOSING public dole.

[sashamanda1]

There are relatively easy fixes to our health care system that would provide cost-effective coverage: open the system up to competition across state lines, allow HSAs for anyone, equalize tax deductions for healthcare for all Americans, and curtail outrageous law suits. The health care bills proposed by Congress and supported by AARP do nothing to contain costs. Seniors will be hurt the most with nearly have a trillion dollars directly cut from Medicare and Medicaid. Shame on AARP!

[blackjet2news]

G O P=GREED OVER PEOPLE

[blackjet2news]

G O P=GREED OVER PEOPLE

[Railroadertwo]

we would settle for 80 precent

[jerdew]

AARP use to represent us older people now they sale supplemental insurance and if you end up with the Public Option then you would need to buy one of these policies like AARP sales.

The Public Option is not a single payer plan which means it will not cover everything and that includes medications and will not cover 100% like many people believe,

You will find out just like many older people have about Medicare and Obama himslef said the Public Option was like Medicare

[Railroadertwo]

Additionally, we did not know this was going to happen until, one month before I reached 65. You can imagine the shock.