The AARP And The Obama Healthcare Proposals

The Washington Examiner today posted an editorial by Mark Tapscott about the AARP’s support for President Obama’s healthcare reform.  Logically, there is no reason for the AARP to support these healthcare reforms–they would have a very negative impact on healthcare for the elderly.  Under a national healthcare program, healthcare has to be rationed because of availability and to keep costs down. 

When the government controls how much doctors make and begins to tell them what to specialize in and where to practice, the educational system begins to produce less doctors.  It won’t take too many years before that produces shortages in the healthcare available.  When giving medical care to a person is based on a formula calculating how long they are expected to live and whether it is worth it to spend the money, we are headed down a road where we are playing God.  We have forgotten that people are not valuable because of what they are able to do–they are valuable because of who they are.  As a friend of mine likes to say, “We are human beings, not human doings!”

So why is the AARP supporting Obama Healthcare?  Because the AARP consistently supports policies that result in bigger government and more government control.  That is the position their leadership has historically chosen.  They opposed the partial privatization of Social Security which would have strenghtened the program and provided the possibility of younger Americans actually collecting something from Social Security after paying into it all their lives.

According to the article:

“And Obama and AARP promise seniors high-quality care, but the Obamacare reality will be long lines and waiting lists for critical treatment and appointments with specialists here, just like in Canada, Great Britain and every other nation with government-run health care.

“Finally, Obamacare will give seniors counseling to help them “consider their options” when their health deteriorates beyond a certain point. That’s another way of saying Obamacare bureaucrats pull the plug, regardless of the family’s wishes, so get ready.

“In short, Obamacare means health care rationing for old folks, the sick and the terminally ill. There will be hell to pay for AARP with its members when this ugly reality becomes crystal clear, as it most certainly will.”

There are reasons to avoid joining the AARP (in spite of the discounts on travel, etc.).  There are also reasons to cancel your membership!