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AARP Florida Calls for Non-Discriminatory Healthcare Response for all Floridians

Nurse checking patient's ears in doctor's office
Terry Vine/Getty Images/Blend Images

AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson issued the following statement calling on Florida state elected leaders, health care and medical providers and state agencies to ensure transparency and fairness of care when deciding policy and protocols on how to administer care and testing for Floridians during the current Coronavirus crisis or any emergency situation:

“AARP has a proven track record of combating age discrimination. We are in a life-or-death crisis, and if Florida were to push older and disabled persons to the back of the line for testing and treatment, that would epitomize discrimination.”

“The Coronavirus doesn’t discriminate, and neither should those entrusted with deciding who gets access to health care testing and treatment.”

“Last year, AARP welcomed Florida as just the fourth state in the nation into the AARP/WHO Age Friendly Network of State and Communities. Needless to say, discriminating on the basis of age when it comes to who gets life-saving treatment and who doesn’t is the opposite of age-friendly,” he said.

“Florida now has the opportunity to establish triage protocols so that we don’t ever have to even consider the rationing of care. Early warning through testing to prevent the ongoing spread of COVID-19, particularly in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, is urgently needed,” Johnson said. “As the nation’s grayest state, it is our collective duty to protect our most vulnerable but no less valuable Floridians.”

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