The AARP Bulletin

A new law passed by the West Virginia Legislature will expand the West Virginia Veterans’ Council from nine to 11 members, ensuring diverse representation from regions of the state and military service branches. 

Financial abuse is estimated to have cost older Americans at least $3 billion annually, according to the FBI.

West Virginia holds its primary election Tuesday, May 10, and AARP West Virginia urges eligible residents to be heard at the ballot box. 

West Virginia’s state legislature meets for a 60-day session each year, and AARP West Virginia is making the most of the time, advocating for older adults on a wide array of issues.

West Virginia is receiving an extra $558 million in federal funds to improve home- and community-based long-term care services. 

The state ranks 44th in the nation in internet connectivity, and more than 400,000 West Virginians have no access to high-speed internet. 

AARP West Virginia has long had a very visible and influential presence at the state capitol, advocating for Mountain Staters 50-plus. 

Thanks in part to the advocacy campaign by AARP West Virginia, Mountain Staters will enjoy a phaseout of a state tax on Social Security benefits.  

Pharmaceutical prices affect most West Virginians, with 89 percent reporting that they or someone else in their household takes prescription drugs. AARP West Virginia is working to provide more transparency on drug costs and more competitive pricing by implementing a 2020 law, the Requiring Accountable Pharmaceutical Transparency, Oversight, and Reporting Act. 

Two West Virginia communities have been awarded AARP Community Challenge grants to spruce up outdoor spaces.