Health & Wellbeing

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA) by a razor-thin margin. In this video, our State Volunteer President explains how the AHCA would substantially raise costs and limit health care coverage for hundreds of thousands of Arkansans. Call 844-222-0110 and urge Senator Tom Cotton to do the right thing—and oppose this bad, high-cost bill.

LITTLE ROCK— AARP_FS_LTSS2017_Arkansas_061017 , and AARP warns much more must be done, at an accelerated pace, to meet changing demographic demands. Specific areas of concern in Arkansas include effective transitions between nursing homes, hospitals and homes.

Vickie Garner of Hot Springs is among the many Arkansans ages 50 to 64 with serious concerns about how the American Health Care Act would affect them. Please click the video below for Vickie's story, then scroll down for additional information.

Over 575,000 Arkansans rely on Medicare to help pay for their prescription drugs, doctor visits and hospitalizations. AARP Arkansas volunteer Joy Crow explains how the new healthcare bill weakens Medicare by reducing spending, hastening Medicare’s insolvency and increasing premiums. Instead of giving a windfall to pharmaceutical companies, Congress should do more to reduce the burden of high prescription drug costs!

Technology has spurred great advances in medicine, and now it’s improving access to health care as well. Beginning July 30, a new state law will allow patients to initiate an audiovisual visit with a doctor from home or another remote location.

AARP Arkansas State Volunteer President Charlie Wagener in a column published May 28, 2017, in the Southwest Times Record— "Health-care act is unfair, unaffordable”—explains why the health care bill currently before the U.S. Senate would be bad for Arkansans, especially those 50 and over. Based in Fort Smith, the Times Record is Arkansas' second-largest daily newspaper by circulation.

The American Health Care Act, which narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives on May 4 and is awaiting action by the U.S. Senate, would make health care unaffordable and inaccessible for millions of Americans—including hundreds of thousands of Arkansans.

AARP on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, sent the following letter to all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding the latest version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA). If you are concerned about how this bill might impact you or your family, let your voice be heard by calling your U.S. Representative toll free at 1-844-866-1425.

CONWAY—The Schmieding Home Caregiver Training Program of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will hold a free family caregiver workshop on Tuesday, May 9 for those who would like to learn about caring for an adult with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

If you are interested in AARP’s work in Arkansas—promoting health, improving retirement security, easing the burden on family caregivers, preventing fraud and making communities more livable—why not play an active role in these efforts?