Is AARP a good thing or a rip-off?

This thread reminds me of the birth of my oldest daughter back in 1970. I got a package in the mail filled with coupons for free baby related items. I drove around gathering up the booty. When finished I had over $200 worth of items and not once did I re-enter their establishment to make a purchase. It may have been written off as a form of advertising but it was lost on me. The only ones who made money was the gas stations. As long as I can make a little in return I'll take the gifts or rebates, I think that gas was less than 50 cents a gal then.
 
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MsFox said:
I find both AARP and AMAC both rip-offs and both are more about politics than providing a service to seniors. I get my insurance through a local independent agent where maximum benefits for minimal cost prevail over politics. I get as good a plan for 40% less.
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I belong to both AARP and AMAC. I do like AARP's publications but they lean left and are for any government program but do not seem to care how it will be paid for.

AMAC' publication is right wing and their magazine stinks. I
 

 
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AARP used to have local seminars about senior issues and resources but no more. They have also done some good work by getting us our stimulus checks. However, we don't do enough shopping to use their sponsors and find better prices elsewhere for most merchandise. My biggest disappointment is that they will not work to get Traditional Medicare to cover dental care since that is a pretty big expense for many of us. Since they sell their dental plans I understand why they are ADA's lap dog but we need to demand Traditional Medicare dental coverage - not just useless Advantage plans.
 
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Happy Heart said:
AARP used to have local seminars about senior issues and resources but no more. They have also done some good work by getting us our stimulus checks. However, we don't do enough shopping to use their sponsors and find better prices elsewhere for most merchandise. My biggest disappointment is that they will not work to get Medicare to cover dental care since that is a pretty big expense for many of us. Since they sell their dental plans I understand why they are ADA's lap dog but we need to demand Medicare dental coverage - not just useless Advantage plans.
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I'd love a dental plan, too, but the problem is somebody (the taxpayers) would have to foot the bill.
 
Happy Heart said:
We have been paying all our lives - the ADA wants a transfer of wealth to their members. Don't get me started...to far off topic.
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Wouldn't it benefit the ADA/dentists for the government to include dental care with Medicare? It'd be a huge bump in their business.

Somewhere north of 90% of US doctors accept Medicare, so it doesn't seem to be killing the financial bottom lines of MDs. I don't know any poor doctors.
 
StarSong said:
Wouldn't it benefit the ADA/dentists for the government to include dental care with Medicare? It'd be a huge bump in their business.

Somewhere north of 90% of US doctors accept Medicare, so it doesn't seem to be killing the financial bottom lines of MDs. I don't know any poor doctors.
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Traditional Medicare would set limits on what they could charge seniors which is what they don't like. Today, a senior can be charged anything the dentist wants so many just can't afford care after working all their lives. Really sad and AARP isn't standing up to the ADA.
 
My mother was with AARP and they kept telling her "We're going to help the "Notch" babies, get more SS"

They never did and mom wasted all that money. If I could have sued them for fraud, I would have.
 
StarSong said:
Wouldn't it benefit the ADA/dentists for the government to include dental care with Medicare? It'd be a huge bump in their business.

Somewhere north of 90% of US doctors accept Medicare, so it doesn't seem to be killing the financial bottom lines of MDs. I don't know any poor doctors.
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The doctors who take Medicare patients, limit to how many they have. I took classes on medical billing and coding and we learned that any doctors with more than 30% Medicare, were losing money.
 
You can try the subscription for a year or three.
We unfortunately renewed even though we didn't need to. Now we have subscription to 2029:eek:
We throw away the mags after a quick glance. Some articles pretty good. AARP Bulletin (October 2022)vol 63, no 8. Pretty good.
Member since age 55. Age now 72.
We enrolled with AARP Healthnet Medicare and Medicare D Ensigna.
We have the AARP membership cards but use them only when the venue honors them. Most times we can find the same pricing by other means.
OneDay University, Nov 15-The Great Migration; Nov 16-Leonardo de Vinci; Nov 17-Why some People of Resilent. aarp.org/wa.
YMMV
 
I looked into AARP but decided it was the same as buying the coupon books kids sell for school fund raisers. The usable benefits doesn't justify the cost.
 
debodun said:
Is AARP a good thing or a rip-off? I know some people whose memberships weren't honored at some restaurants that should have.
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I have their Medicare supplemental insurance. It seems to me to be as good as any, if I shopped it harder I might find something better. I think AARP is mostly an insurance company, that used to be something different, more an association that supported older folks. They are very good at junk mail...

As to the discounts, I have sometimes been successful in using them, but not always. And some places the discount is very small.
 
Alligatorob said:
I have their Medicare supplemental insurance. It seems to me to be as good as any, if I shopped it harder I might find something better. I think AARP is mostly an insurance company, that used to be something different, more an association that supported older folks. They are very good at junk mail...

As to the discounts, I have sometimes been successful in using them, but not always. And some places the discount is very small.
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I have it for the insurance, but I've often doubted it's value to me beyond that. With my Medicare part B and AARP, I have never paid a dime out of pocket for medical care including a couple of stays in the the hospital. I've heard people in this forum diss AARP insurance, but I haven't had a problem with it. Is it too expensive? I dunno. But it's been very reliable. But I'm used to bad insurance. Previously, my biggest problems with insurance companies, were denial of coverage. Eventually, they would cover me, but one time I had to hire a lawyer to get them to pay. I never had that problem with AARP.
 
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Ruthanne said:
I paid for a membership a few times and got discounts on car washes. After I stopped getting a membership they just wouldn't leave me alone. Made me angry.
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They comprise a very large part of my junk mail.
 


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