Copyright 2002 Newsday, Inc.  

Newsday (New York, NY)
October 18, 2002 Friday NASSAU AND SUFFOLK EDITION
SECTION: NEWS, Pg. A53

LENGTH: 363 words

HEADLINE: AARP Ads Target Medicare Legislation

BYLINE: By Deborah Barfield Berry. WASHINGTON BUREAU

BODY:
Washington - Determined to ensure that the issue of Medicare prescription drugs doesn't fall off the radar, AARP is launching a $4-million national ad campaign aimed at getting seniors to take their anger over congressional inaction to the polls.

"We want to turn voter anger into action," said Bill Novelli, chief executive of AARP, the largest senior group in the country. "We really have to do something about it."

Seniors across the country are upset that lawmakers have not delivered on a promise to approve legislation to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. The issue is one of the most pressing for AARP, a powerful lobbying group with its 35 million members. And polls show the issue is important to seniors, who tend to vote in higher numbers.

AARP wants legislation that provides affordable coverage for all Medicare beneficiaries and helps low-income seniors and those with high drug costs. Legislation has been stalled since the summer in the Senate because lawmakers disagree about the cost of the program and how to administer the drug benefit.

Earlier, the United Seniors Association, a group partly funded by drug companies, ran a $4-million ad campaign in 16 states to get more support for the House Republicans' Medicare bill, which relies on the private sector to run the drug program.

AARP's two-week campaign, beginning today, includes an ad featuring two seniors watching a newscast about the government's fight against illegal drugs. There is another drug war, an announcer says, "the fight for legal, affordable prescription drugs for seniors. Know where the candidates stand. Vote. This is a drug war we can win."

AARP this week also mailed voter guides outlining candidates' positions and sent pledge cards to lawmakers asking them to promise to enact a bill with the AARP provisions. Those who don't will be listed on AARP's Web site.

AARP does not endorse candidates, but the ad campaign goes as far as it can without suggesting who seniors should support. If the campaign works, it will send a clear message that seniors are unhappy, Novelli said. "That means some people are going to be out of their jobs," he said.

LOAD-DATE: October 18, 2002