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In response to AARP’s narrow questionnaire and possible leanings toward supporting benefit cuts, Firedoglake has teamed up with CREDO Action, National Organization for Women, Social Security Works and other organizations to launch our own version of the AARP’s “You’ve Earned a Say” survey, slightly modified to be more precise and more inclusive of all views on the future of Social Security and Medicare.
Firedoglake collected over 9,000 responses this weekend, and we’re running ads and circulating the survey to hear from as many people as possible. Once we’ve all collected our responses, our coalition will publish the results in full– but until then, I wanted to offer a peek at some of the results we’ve received thus far.
Question #4 on AARP’s Survey reads:
When it comes to securing the future of Medicare and Social Security, which of the following do you expect:
A: More funding will be needed to maintain the same benefits
B: Benefits will be reduced
C: Either A or B
D: None of the above
This question is one of the most skewed on AARP’s survey, offering no opportunities for the individual to expect or hope for benefit increases– only a status quo described as hard to maintain, or worse. The question also lumps together Social Security and Medicare – two different programs with different needs. These are not good baseline options for defending Social Security and Medicare, and its hard to imagine this question producing an honest response from participants.
To get a better idea of what people really think about the future of Social Security and Medicare, we broke it in two: one on Social Security, one on Medicare. We also asked what folks wanted on this issue from AARP specifically, as well as added an option for people to express their desire for expanded benefits and cost controls – not just the same benefits, less benefits or higher taxes.
Here’s what came back:
| When it comes to securing the future of Social Security, which of the following do you want AARP to fight for? | AARP Member | Non-Member | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| More funding to maintain or possibly increase benefits | 86.7% | 89.6% | 87.9% |
| A combination of tax increases and benefits cuts. | 4.4% | 3.4% | 3.9% |
| Benefit cuts without tax increases | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| None of the above | 8.8% | 6.7% | 7.9% |
| When it comes to securing the future of Medicare, which of the following do you want AARP to fight for? | AARP Member | Non-Member | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reduced benefits | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Expanding benefits by requiring everyone to pay somewhat more. | 21.5% | 24% | 22.6% |
| Stronger and better cost controls on insurers, and hospitals, and other health care providers | 72.6% | 69% | 71.1% |
| None of the above | 5.7% | 6.8% | 6.2% |
I was unable to locate any published results of AARP’s “You’ve Earned a Say” online questionnaire, but it’s clear from our sample that regardless of membership in the organization, folks aren’t content with the status quo and they certainly don’t want less. In fact, they want the nation’s largest, wealthiest elderly advocate to go out there and demand more on their behalf.
Our survey is still wide open, so click here to fill it out if you haven’t already. We’ll continue to monitor AARP’s “You’ve Earned A Say” tour and will keep you updated on results from our coalition survey.
17 Comments
Thanks!
I remain tickled as all hell with this FDL combo effort.
Thank you all!
AARP serves only the corporate fascist 1%, not seniors in need.
Rub their noses in this as much as possible FDL!!!
The problem that I have with any survey like this is that it is unreliable. If you ask if you want to get more and not have to pay for it, you will always get the answer that they should get more.
If the question is balanced between cost and benefit, i suspect the answers will change. For example, if
is the answer, would it make a difference if the answer suggested that lower payments to hospitals and doctors might reduce available services, would the answer still be the same?
If we say that we are financing all of the increased services by a debt to China, does that make a difference?
AARP won’t help seniors at all.
I perceive anything from big business to be flim flam. Trick and deceive your customers and potential customers. Health Insurance, Banking, Utilities are all cheaters and liars. AARP has been coopted for many years to serve the Health Cheater industry.
AARP, a subsidiary of Koch Industries…
One way to fund social security:
Change the pay roll tax by reducing it from 6 to 5 per cent on the first $100,000 which would be matched by the employer then a graduated upward tax on all earnings (gross income) above that amount. Such a tax could look something like this:
The first $100,000 5%
$100K – 1M +1%
$1M – 5M +2%
$5M – & above +3%
Everything paid above the first $5,000 would be a tax deduction. In other words a person making one million dollars would pay $5,000 on the first $100,000 and $9,000 on the remaining $900,000 for a total of $14,000. Someone fortunate enough to be making $10,000,000 would pay $5,000 plus $9,000 plus $80,000 or 2% on the next $4M and $150,000 or 3% on the final $5M for a total of $244,000 or 2.44% of earnings of which $239,000 would be tax deductable.
Thanks Brian,
I just got another mailer from AARP and immediately tore it up. It was an opportunity for some of their insurance.
I have written them telling them what I think of their sellout and got a nice letter back telling me they really, really do work for Seniors.
i am afraid that no matter what they find on their “listening tour” they will frame the answers to fit their position which is to ignore the seniors and go ahead and propose cuts to SS and Medicare.
Jmho.
HEALTH CARE
Raise the Medicare entitlement fee to 2% of total income including wages, salaries, bonuses, interest, dividends, capital gains and other forms of income. Those paying more than $2,000.00 will receive a tax deduction.
Allow Federal government to negotiate with PHARMA industry to lower drug prices.
Allow VA Hospitals to care for low income non-veterans.
Carry out the Medicare/Medicaid cost reductions mandated by the Affordable health Care Act so that the growth can be slowed. Putting these provisions into action fully and as soon as possible is the best way to reign in spending.
Allow Medicare to bundle payments for several standard procedures nationwide phase in over the next four years payments for all procedures and primary care completely replacing ‘fee-for-service’.
Implement competitive bidding for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, laboratory tests, pharmaceutical and other medical supplies.
Require electronic eligibility, claims processing and payment as well as centralized physician credentialing.
Do not pay extra for technologies that are more expensive but no more effective than other available technologies.
Allow all citizens a under the age of 60 a choice between a Medicare Public Option or private health insurance. All over 60 would receive Medicare.
Good One! You should have Sebelius’ job.
Good Job!! Nicely done.
Beef up the Medicare fraud unit! I had clients who were tracked down by those motorized wheel chair salespeople …. everyone, everyone can have a motorized wheel chair, needed or not, if they are just Medicare eligible! Pay small bounties for anyone who discovers Medicare fraud…. say 5-10% of the recovery.
Develop REGULATED firms who produce REGULATED medications that are most used by seniors on Medicare.
Are ALL 65 year old Congress folks (retired or still active) kicked off whatever the govt. plan is and immediately enrolled in Medicare? If not, why not!?
Who, by the way, paid the gazillions for Cheney’s new heart?????
And thank you, Brian, for staying on this.
Sure it will. It will help them out of their savings in return for empty promises.
Indeed.
Great comment.