AARP Vermont

Burlingtonians had a chance to share their opinions and concerns on a host of issues around livability in a citywide survey conducted by AARP Vermont and released today. AARP Vermont held a briefing for Burlington officials, stakeholder groups and the press today to share these research findings from the household survey of 500 residents over age 45. The report is entitled The Path to Livability: A Citizen Survey of Burlington, VT.

Once a year people who are already on Medicare have an opportunity to make changes in how they receive their benefits. If they are on Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), they can sign up for Part D coverage or move to a Medicare Advantage plan. They can also change from one Part D prescription drug plan to a different one. If they have a Medicare Advantage plan they can switch to a different plan.

A recently announced agreement between Vermont Gas Systems (VGS) and the VT Dept. of Public Service (DPS) is cause for concern to anyone who is watching this issue closely -- especially ratepayers! While it proposes to reduce the cost to ratepayers by $20 million, it allows for unforeseen costs and still leaves current VGS customers paying at least $134 million for a gas pipeline that will serve another market altogether. AARP has indicated its opposition to this proposal as well as the obvious attempt to influence the Public Service Board's decision on the larger issue of reopening the project for review. The claims that this project serves the public good for all Vermonters is flawed by a host of measures -- particularly the overall economic benefit which studies show will have a negative impact in the neighborhood of $200 million.

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AARP announced the launch of its AARP TEK Academy, a free, easy-to-use online classroom designed to help 50-plus Americans get the most out of technology to connect with family and friends, explore employment opportunities, access health information, enjoy entertainment and more. Located at www.aarptek.org, the site can be accessed from a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops or desktops and offers dozens of tutorials on a range of helpful topics, from social media to staying safe online.

A motion was filed today by AARP Vermont with the Vermont Public Service Board showing that, once again, Vermont Gas Systems (VGS) has failed to disclose highly material information with the Board in relation to their Addison Natural Gas Project. The evidence concerns lawsuits between their primary pipeline contractor, Over and Under Piping Contractors, Inc. As it turns out, VGS has never had a signed contract with the firm, terminated them last November and the contractor is suing for over $11 million and has placed contractor liens on VGS real property and pipeline equipment. Much of this information was not disclosed to regulators when the company was testifying to the projected costs of the project.

How much have you saved for retirement? Five hundred dollars? Five thousand? Fifty thousand? If you have even $5 saved, you’re one step ahead of nearly half of working-age households — who have ZERO saved for retirement.

Most Vermonters feel that ratepayers should not bear the costs of a gas pipeline nor be subject to higher rates to fund Vermont Gas System’s (VGS) Adison Natural Gas Project, according to a recent survey by AARP Vermont of registered voters across the state. Furthermore, most of those surveyed said they would be more likely to support a candidate who committed to ensuring that regulators advocated for affordable residential utility rates. Most felt they needed better representation from regulators at the state level regarding utility costs and that there should have been far more transparency on the increasing costs of the VGS pipeline project.

AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins offered the following statement in reaction to the 2015 Medicare Trustees report released today: