AARP Spokesperson Drew Nannis issued the following statement regarding the Medicare bills being considered in the U.S. Senate:

"For months, AARP has asked Congress to keep Medicare premiums fair and improve the program for the people who rely on it the most. The Baucus-Snowe bill does both. The bipartisan Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act will make genuine improvements to Medicare to benefit older Americans.

"This bipartisan bill, championed by Senators Baucus, Snowe, Rockefeller and Smith, expands Medicare's coverage of preventive services and improves mental health benefits. It also eliminates some crippling barriers to Medicare's low-income programs, allowing more Americans to get help paying their health care bills. The legislation will simplify the application process for these programs and improve cooperation between Medicare and the Social Security Administration to ensure low-income people get the help they need. It also raises the asset limit on Medicare Savings Programs, allowing more low-income Americans to get health care and keep a small retirement nest egg.

"AARP looks forward to Thursday's expected cloture vote on the bipartisan Medicare bill. We remind senators from both sides of the aisle that AARP has designated the vote on this legislation as a key vote, and we will be reporting the results back to our members."

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 33 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 39 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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