Dave Bruns

On Oct. 1, millions of Floridians will be able to shop for health-care coverage through a new online marketplace as key parts of the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act go into effect. AARP Florida is working to help Floridians 50+ understand how the law will affect them.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the eve of the 78th anniversary of the creation of Social Security, which provides an average monthly retirement benefit of $14,900 to 2.94 million Floridians, AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond issued the following statement:

St. Petersburg, Fla. – AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson issued the following statement today in the wake of the ouster of the second Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman since 2011.

Daytona Beach, Fla. – AARP Foundation, AARP’s charitable affiliate, today announced a $25,000 grant to the Volusia County Council on Aging Meals on Wheels program. The AARP Foundation grant will help match a generous $100,000 challenge grant from a local donor to support Meals on Wheels, which provides needed food to homebound seniors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1jyeYxy5po&feature=c4-overview&list=UUrzT8tOAXbNTCBaB9f5_Mog[/youtube] Washington calls its plan a way to make the formula for Social Security annual cost-of-living increases “more accurate.” Stephen Kennedy just calls it “painful.”

St. Petersburg, FL – FCCI Insurance Group of Sarasota, Central Florida Health Alliance of Leesburg, Lee County Electric Cooperative of North Ft. Myers, and the School Board of Brevard County are all being honored by AARP and the Society for Human Resource Management as some of the 2013 Best Employers for Workers Over 50.

Tallahassee, Fla. – AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson issued this statement Friday in reaction to the federal Health and Human Services’ Department decision to approve a state plan to transfer all Florida Medicaid patients needing acute health care into managed-care plans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVRP-wnsaOY[/youtube]Washington calls it a “minor technical change” in Social Security. Here’s how minor Washington’s Chained CPI plan would actually be for Ken Reinhardt: $12,000 over the next 20 years.

Tallahassee, Fla. – AARP has filed a “friend of the court” brief in a state Supreme Court case challenging a decision by the state Public Service Commission (PSC) approving a contested settlement giving Florida Power & Light (FPL) a $354-million rate increase -- far greater than it even asked for in its petition.

Tallahassee, Fla. -- To help educate older Floridians on how your state legislators are voting, AARP Florida will be working in 2013 to make information on lawmakers’ votes easier and quicker to find. AARP will be tracking votes on key issues including a ban on texting while driving, curbing annuities fraud, cracking down utility companies' extra fees for nuclear power plants that may never be built, and expanding affordable health-care coverage to uninsured Floridians of modest means.