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Generation for America’s Chuck Woolery on how AARP’s lobbying in Washington may have costly consequences for its members.
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The news.
Now our top story its potential conflict of interest -- the AARP lobbies against changes.
In Medicare -- all the -- what's best of them may not be what's best for their members.
Will be looking out for you -- here at money and joining us now -- -- Her beloved host.
Unfortunately they went bad in there I was I was at one time I was the original host erased all of on the air okay my ministers say you're just not -- you're not old enough to remember I had my SP -- -- -- -- 74 yeah but I think it was beloved guy who brought everyone together you know I mean wheel of fortune is -- that well yeah.
Aren't well let's get -- many hats Melissa carried out my mistake I apologize.
All right let's get on the main issue of the Diego expect this is really interesting army air.
Lobbying and you know telling seniors who are members what is in their best interest and once again when you sort of pull things back and you look behind the curtain.
It may not necessarily be what's best for that we -- one example of this with obamacare.
When they were you don't lobbying very hard to pass obamacare but like you have sad that was not necessarily in their members' best interest how come.
Well well 93% of their members didn't want it and they did it anyway because it was money so -- it's it's about it's not about the members look.
We have seventy pages of emails on generation American dot org so if you go there you can look at it.
In their own words and see what their ties are they are not non -- -- in bed with this administration.
And that's that bothers me personally just as -- senior citizen.
I do represent another group but where conservative group we're not nonpartisan we're conservative so we -- we tell you who we are and what we stand for.
The other thing is.
I mean they terrorize Ben Nelson who was the sixtieth vote.
And it shows up in these emails as part of what you were talking about before so this is nothing new for terror IDO.
Well they they robot called an estate.
And lobbied for his vote for that sixtieth vote to put obamacare cross.
That's really what turned the whole thing he didn't want to vote for to begin with and they.
They basically pressured him into doing -- terrorized him in the doing it really if you read the emails and see what they with what they said.
It and the bottom line on all that is that wanted one of the ways that they make their money is this medic gap insurance that they go out -- market.
As part of an as a result of Obama care the premiums for Medigap.
Are expected to go up 96 dollars a year so they wanted.
I mean at least part of their motivation had to be that they wanted Obama care to go through is that Medigap insurance would be more expensive which is bad for their member.
That was 96 dollars a member so you'd figure at between 34 and forty million members.
That's several billion dollars okay.
So now Ways and Means Committee have come up and they've been discussing this is not a -- -- they're just talking about this they're talking about reducing.
The cost of of insurance.
And upping what.
You know what what you're gonna have to pay on the other hand in other words you got deductibles which will go up a little bit and you got insurance premiums would shall go down a little bit.
Well.
When AARP got word of this -- they immediately jumped -- and sent -- -- you're not gonna do that to us.
And the reason is it's about one point five to two point or two billion dollars a year.
That they will lose on those premiums if the Ways and Means Committee goes through with this and this is all about.
This is all about trying to preserve Medicare so the government in this case is.
-- probably trying to do the right thing I don't know everything about yet because it's still a little furry around the edges.
But AARP is jumped on this and this is not good for their members are members of the premiums will go down.
Right and so it it and went -- it could be good for their members in the sense that Medigap.
Premiums would go down and that some exact that -- members would really -- but once again.
They would not in this is this big sticking point that happens again and again you think AARP is out there because you're a senior.
Lobbying -- best interest and meanwhile on their website you know they're saying call your congressman do this do that right emails and and you could be following their -- in doing things that are actually gets your best actress.
Yeah the problem is if you don't really pay attention to what they're doing they mask it so beautifully and they really do they do a good job I mean I watch the -- all day long.
It's always sounds like there advocating for their seniors they're advocating for dollars.
And look I'm Egypt generation America are gonna be honest with the generation America dot org will make money on Medigap insurance just like AARP is.
The difference between us and them is that we're not an insurance company they are so we will shop for the best insurance for our members.
Yeah you've got -- you got to decide if you're gonna be an organization like that.
What's most important you've got to make money that's for work but you also represented members we have to take care of the -- watch their back.
Act and easy transparent I mean you have to be upfront -- -- lobbying for what's best for your bottom line that's fine just be honest about its that your members knows where you really in exactly are right they absolutely that's.
That's what it's all about -- so much for coming on clearing that up thank you and information for our folks thank you so much for having me all right see you.
