More on the AARP’s alleged conflicts of interest with health insurers, including UnitedHealth Group: Marketplace talks with a professor of government at American University, who says the millions in royalties the AARP earns from insurers is a conflict of interest if the payments aren’t transparent.
Listen here:
The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the AARP took in more than $650 million from insurance companies last year, including about $400 million from UnitedHealth.
I didn’t hear the GOP whining about the position of AARP in 2003, so it is a bit disengenuous for them to start talking about AARP now. It has been known for years that AARP is a revenue-driven business–with most of that money coming from insurance company commissions using the AARP brand. Sure, there is a conflict of interest. And AARP should use its power to get better deals for its members–but they don’t (hence, the conflict). Plus, AARP has no member-elected board member, so there is no one truly representing the membership (seniors) in the organization.
This story illustrates how the media can get their facts straight and the story wrong.
Where does AARP stand on health care reform? They support it now and have always supported health care reform. In some respects they are ahead of their membership.
And seniors have better health insurance than those who are targeted by health care reform.
But what about the National Federation of Independent Business? They purport to represent the interest of small business. A good health reform should benefit small business more than any other group. Most of the employed uninsured work for small businesses. It is small businesses who are quickest to drop their insurance when it gets too expensive.
Where does the NFIB stand on health care reform? They are against it. Why?
Is it because they make a lot of money selling health insurance to their members? Why don’t you ask them?
And the state and local Chambers of Commerce? Could their “benefit programs” be influencing their stands? Ask them!
Talk to groups like the Mainstreet Alliance that are sprouting up around the country because the NFIB and the chambers are not representing their interests on this issue.