http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/281667

AARP, AMA endorse health care reform legislation

Posted Nov 5, 2009 by Andrew Moran
The American Association of Retired Person and the American Medial Association have officially endorsed the Democratic health care reform plan on Thursday as the vote enters the final stretch.
Nancy Pelosi: Bailout deal is near
File photo by talkradionews
$700 billion bailout of the financial system is near. - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said: "We have to get it committed to paper so we can formally agree." (28 Sep. 2008, 12:30 a.m).
On Thursday, the Democratic health care reform bill, after months of controversy, is now being backed by the AMA and AARP, according to the United Press International.
AARP, which has a membership of over 40 million, will make the official announcement on either Thursday or Friday.
AARP CEO Barry Rand released a statement, “We started this debate more than two years ago with the twin goals of making coverage affordable to our younger members and protecting Medicare for seniors. We can say with confidence that [the House bill] meets those goals with improved benefits for people in Medicare and needed health insurance market reforms to help ensure every American can purchase affordable health coverage.”
For weeks now, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi lobbied AARP to support the $1 trillion health care overhaul plan and they received the much needed boost. Amid anger by many Americans, Digital Journal reported in August that at least 60,000 had quit AARP.
After receiving confirmation, President Barack Obama issued a statement from the White House, according to CNN, “I want to thank both organizations again for their support, and I urge Congress to listen to AARP, listen to the AMA and pass this reform for hundreds of millions of Americans who will benefit from it.”
However, CBS News reports that Pelosi doesn’t have the 218 votes needed to pass legislation because many moderate Democrats are unsupportive over abortion funding and illegal immigrants. Nevertheless, Democratic officials believe the bill will pass, at least according to one Democrat who summed it up as a “big victory.”
The near 2,000 page legislation is expected to come on Saturday.