Laura Polacheck

What’s quickly eating up a growing share of retirees’ money these days? Not health care, as you might expect, according to a new report by the National Center for Policy Analysis.

By Susan Jaffe, Kaiser Health News

From the November 2013 AARP Bulletin

AARP Utah Supports Livable Communities

By Julie E. Lee, Vice President & National Director, AARP Driver Safety, Education and Outreach

Here in Utah, individuals looking for insurance plans through the health insurance marketplace run by the federal government. Small businesses will use a state-run plan called Avenue H, though some companies may give a lump sum to employees to shop on the individual market. You'll have a lot of choices to help you find insurance that works for you, and may qualify for subsidies to help you afford a valuable plan. AARP has a new website, healthlawanswers.org that provides guidance on how to naviagate the marketplace, but like other stories that dominate the headlines, fraud is always a concern.

We’ve repeatedly heard the claim by critics of Medicare that doctors are refusing to see Medicare patients because of poor reimbursement and government intrusion into their practices. From such accusations one might conclude that doctors are shying away from Medicare patients in huge numbers.

Photo by Rick Egan, The Salt Lake Tribune

It happens all too often. Despite a person's lifetime of experience and excellent work ethic, age discrimination can make it harder to find a job or fight discrimination upon a questionable termination. This is a topic that AARP is very much concerned with for our members and non-members alike, and therefore has strongly endorsed a bipartisan bill in Congress that would help combat age discrimination in the workplace and protect the rights of older individuals.

There is a lot to learn about the new health care law, also known as the "ACA" or "Obamacare." But primarily what it does is address the quality and affordability of health insurance in this country, and creates mechanisms called "Heath Insurance Marketplaces" that will help people select plans if they are not already covered by their employer. The good news is that you only need to be concerned with provisions that affect you and your family. Here's a basic road map to the changes in the law: