Thanks to the AARP and other senior interest groups, elder Americans are some of the most powerful people in the country. When they speak, politicians listen. They saved Medicare, Social Security, and countless other senior-specific programs all by raising their voices and telling their Congressmen how they feel.
And when it comes to health care reform, they don't feel very good at all.
According to the December 2009 Health Tracking poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 52 percent of people aged 65 and older think seniors will be worse off once health reform passes — that's in contrast to the mere 26 percent of those younger than 65 who think the same thing. On the other side of the spectrum, only 21 percent of seniors believe they will be better off if health reform passes, where 45 percent of those younger than 65 believe seniors will be better off.