An open letter to AARP's Bill Novelli

Dear Mr. Novelli

I have emailed you many times about my displeasure at your support of Medicare Part D and a request for an apology. I have sometimes been emailed back that my mail was forwarded to the appropriate department - or some such message [I think of that department as the "round file cabinet" of old – or today's trash button.]

I have not mailed you as I assume I'd also just be wasting my time as well trying that method – but after yet another letter from you filled with petitions and the ever present request to send money - I am posting this as an open letter on my blog. You may never see it - but others will.

Back when you supported Medicare Part D and I call it part D[umb] many of us predicted that costs for medications would sky rocket as would all health/medical costs. You dismissed our concerns and put the full power and credibility of AARP behind YOUR support of Medicare Part D[umb]. And guess what? We, the concerned non-supporters of that measure, were correct.

In my emails to you since that time I have asked for an apology. None came - I have not even seen you discuss your role in this – but then I don’t read every page of the AARP materials. I've also wondered what, if any, were the financial gains to you personally and to AARP - as it sells it's "name" to some of the very “health care” companies that are constantly raising their rates.

You keep sending out letters telling me that medical costs are increasing. Duh! I think we all know this. But it’s when you say that health care must be more affordable that you really anger me. See I blame you for a large part of the increased costs of much of this due to your support of Medicare Part D[umb].

Your recent scare letter with it’s underlined, bolded, and large letters is yet another in the long line of mail that I get from you – all seemingly calculated into scarring us into sending you more money. This is obviously my personal perspective but one that is shared by many I know. And the petition part, along with the request for money comes filled out with my name and/or my name and address.

What this means to me is that I need to waste more of my time shredding these forms. And while I am on this train of thought – I need to carefully go through your magazines to pull out and shred all the advertising in it, which also has my name and address pre-printed! I mentioned this a friend and she said she just tosses the magazine without reading - so now she too will have to go through and pull out the ads for shredding.

Add to this the endless junk mail from your advertisers and alleged “health care” partner – also all filled out for me.... and I wonder why you tell us to be careful about identity theft when you seemingly add to the potential for that problem!

For all these reasons I am no longer an AARP member. I renewed a while ago as I had signed up for your alleged “heath care” partner’s insurance which required that I be a member. That “partner” misrepresented its monthly costs and got downright nasty when I cancelled. But that’s another issue which I’m sure you will ignore.

Yours truly,

Lynn Dorman