The AP (12/3, Espo) reports, "With a Senate showdown looming, the politically potent AARP rode to the rescue of Democrats on Wednesday, supporting $460 billion in Medicare cuts to help pay for landmark healthcare legislation. As Republicans pressed to restore the cuts, AARP said Democrats merely were recommending elimination of waste and inefficiency within the giant healthcare program for seniors." A. Barry Rand, AARP's CEO, wrote in a letter to lawmakers, "Most importantly, the legislation does not reduce any guaranteed Medicare benefits." Rand added, "AARP believes that savings can be found in Medicare through smart, targeted changes aimed at improving healthcare delivery, eliminating waste and inefficiency, and aggressively weeding out fraud and abuse." The AP notes that the organization "has played an influential role all year on healthcare, working with the Obama Administration as well as Democratic leaders to help pass legislation."

        USA Today 's (12/3, Fritze) "On Politics" blog also discusses Rand's letter to senators, reporting, "The AARP, which has supported the healthcare effort, said in a letter today that it believes the money can be found in Medicare by targeting waste and abuse." Notably, "Republicans, including" Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), "have argued for months that it will be hard to cut billions from Medicare without reducing services the program provides."

        According to The Hill's (12/3, Romm, subscription required) "Blog Briefing Room," "The nonpartisan AARP and two left-leaning seniors' groups on Wednesday separately urged Senate lawmakers to reject an amendment that would strip some Medicare changes from the chamber's healthcare bill." Even though "the amendment's author, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), stressed upon introducing his effort this week that it would shield seniors from Democrats' proposed cuts, the three seniors groups on Wednesday independently concluded McCain's proposal would do both Medicare and the entire healthcare reform process more harm than good."

        Nevertheless, Congress Daily (12/3, Edney, subscription required) reports, "AARP gave a boost to Democrats with the endorsement of their Medicare cuts, but included a warning in the letter as well." In his letter, Rand wrote that "more should be done to strengthen Medicare -- including closing the Medicare Part D coverage gap, or 'doughnut hole,' as pledged by the President." Notably, "David Certner, AARP's legislative policy director, said Wednesday the organization is working with senators on proposals to close the doughnut hole." Congress Daily points out that "AARP waited until a final House vote was near to endorse the chamber's bill, and will likely operate on the same timeline to make a decision on the Senate bill." Reuters (12/3, Whitesides, Smith) also covers the story.

        USA Today calls criticisms of Medicare cuts "deceptive and irresponsible." USA Today (12/3) editorializes, "Scaring seniors about losing their Medicare benefits is deceptive and irresponsible, but it's a political winner." USA Today cites "an effort by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to remove the nearly $500 billion in Medicare cuts from the Senate measure," noting McCain's argument that "the cuts are so big, they'll inevitably and unfairly harm seniors' healthcare." But, "even the nation's leading advocacy group for the aging, AARP, opposes McCain's amendment, noting that the Senate plan 'does not reduce any guaranteed Medicare benefits.'" USA Today concludes, "What's scary isn't what will happen to seniors and their Medicare benefits. They'll be fine. What's frightening is how many people will continue to suffer with bad insurance or none at all if the scare tactics succeed."

        McCain claims cuts to Medicare would impact seniors' access to quality care. In an op-ed in USA Today (12/3), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) writes, "The Democrats have proposed slashing Medicare by nearly $500 billion...to create a new federal government-run healthcare entitlement" packaged "as 'healthcare reform.'" Noting that "the bulk of these cuts come directly from Medicare Advantage," which "provides the only choice in the Medicare program for seniors who want additional benefits or better options," McCain contends that "the Congressional Budget Office assumes that the Democrats' bill would cut Medicare Advantage benefits by more than half." McCain concludes, "Simply put, the Democrats' proposed cuts to Medicare would impact seniors' access to quality care," which "is a price that Americans should not be asked to pay."

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