AARP Backs Health Kids Plan at Capitol

What was clear among them was a strong show of support for the Healthy Kids Plan, House Bill 2201, to their representatives and senators.

Three generations of an AARP family -- grandmother Pat Sell, mother Gretchen Jordan, and their grandson and son, Jaymes, 13 -- meet with their representative, House Majority Leader Dave Hunt, to show AARP's support for the pending Healthy Kids legislation, Photo courtesy: Sara Wurfel

(SALEM) - A recent poll of AARP members across Oregon shows strong support for ensuring children have access to affordable, quality health care, according to Jerry Cohen, State Director of AARP Oregon, which just surpassed a half million members 50 and older in the state.

Getting that message out, about 50 AARP volunteers from across Oregon were at the state capital Wednesday to hand out information and new polling data.

What was clear among them was a strong show of support for the Healthy Kids Plan, House Bill 2201, to their representatives and senators.

"Older Oregonians very clearly recognize the importance of ensuring healthy kids today is fundamental to successful tomorrows and the future of Oregon families and communities," Cohen said.

Luisa Davis, 5, gives Sen. Kate Brown a high five for her commitment to the pending Healthy Kids legislation. Luisa is the granddaughter of AARP member Cheryl Davis, a constituent of the Senate Majority Leader, who was in Salem to meet with the senator to share AARP's strong support for ensuring children have access to affordable health care, Photo courtesy: Sara Wurfel

AARP members used the advocacy action event at the state capital to urge state lawmakers to pass the plan that they say will make a necessary difference for the future.

"We feel that the Healthy Kids Plan is a great step in the right direction - it's practical, achievable and can make an immediate positive difference in hundreds of thousands of lives," said Al Youse, an AARP volunteer from Salem.

The members also manned six AARP informational booths at the capitol on a variety of topics like health care and caregiving, and handed out Tillamook smoothies as part of the organization's focus on helping create a healthy Oregon.

AARP has made achieving health and financial security its top priorities, recently affirmed with the launch of Divided We Fail dividedwefail.org, an initiative that brings business, consumer and labor groups together to help break the political gridlock and inaction and create bipartisan solutions that benefit all generations.

"AARP cannot and must not sit back and watch as concerns about health and financial security grow. These are issues that affect all generations," said Cheryl Davis, an AARP volunteer from Northeast Portland. "That's why we support the Healthy Kids Plan and urge our elected officials to come together and make this legislation a reality - our kids and grandkids deserve better."

For a copy of the polling results or more information about AARP Oregon's health care reform efforts or Divided We Fail campaign, visit aarp.org/or.