AARP Announces 2007 Legislative Agenda

AARP at a news conference on Wednesday said that examining how Medicare reimburses physicians and managed care plans and giving the government the authority to negotiate prescription drug prices under the Medicare drug benefit are at the top of the group's legislative agenda this year, CQ HealthBeat reports. Officials also said AARP would support bills to permit the reimportation of lower-cost prescription drugs from other nations and to expand market access to generic drugs, including biotechnology drugs. In addition, the group plans to lobby for expanding health coverage through Medicaid and SCHIP. The group will continue to promote preventive care, widespread use of health care information technology and chronic care coordination. AARP officials also indicated that the group might support reducing government payments to Medicare Advantage plans. The group said it will continue to oppose the creation of private accounts within Social Security. AARP CEO Bill Novelli said, "We have a narrow window of opportunity before the 2008 presidential election heats up. It's really time for the tired old era of gridlock to stop" (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 2/21).

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