AARP Targets Sen. Jeff Flake in Heated Campaign Over Health-Care Bill

An AARP television advertisement that criticizes federal health reform is back on the air in Arizona this week. The ad targets U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake amid a tight Senate split of 52-48 in favor of Republicans.

The advertisement features a couple visiting a financial-service firm conspicuously named “Ryan and Associates,” a nod to House Speaker Paul Ryan, a prominent supporter of the American Health Care Act of 2017 (AHCA). In the ad, a financial adviser warns that individuals over 50 will see their health insurance costs rise due to an “age tax” included in the bill.

The adviser further explains that individuals with asthma will face significantly higher charges, leaving the couple confused and concerned. Reactions to the ad have been mixed among healthcare experts. Critics argue that the AHCA, which narrowly passed the House, will undergo revisions before a Senate vote.

Flake, an Arizona Republican, echoed this sentiment. “The AHCA isn’t expected to come up for a vote in the Senate, so the Senate is drafting its own legislation,” stated Flake’s spokesman Jason Samuels in an email. The ad, which began airing May 23, will continue on Tucson and Phoenix television stations until June 11.

The ad targets five U.S. senators, including Flake, Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, Cory Gardner, and Dean Heller. Viewers are urged to tell their senators to vote “no” on the health care bill. According to AARP Arizona’s Communications Director, Alex Juarez, the organization invested a “six-figure buy” into this campaign across four states.

Despite its dramatic narrative, the ad has received backing from some experts. Dr. Dan Derksen, health policy director at the University of Arizona, stated it accurately reflects provisions of the AHCA passed by the House. The bill allows insurers to charge older enrollees five times more than younger ones, up from the three-times limit set by the Affordable Care Act.

Additionally, states could waive key consumer protections, potentially reverting to practices such as higher charges for pre-existing conditions if coverage lapses. This aspect of the AHCA has incited criticism from health insurance broker Ray Magnuson, who called the ad “disingenuous” and “misleading.”

Magnuson noted that most individuals with pre-existing conditions maintain continuous coverage to avoid penalties. The AHCA would require states to navigate multiple steps to apply for waivers. Naomi Lopez Bauman, from the conservative Goldwater Institute, dismissed the ad as “political posturing,” emphasizing that the Senate’s version of the bill will address various concerns differently, including the “age tax.”

Lopez Bauman argued the debate is still in its early stages and that the Senate will potentially integrate income-based premium subsidies. Meanwhile, AARP’s Juarez stated, “The purpose of the ad is to ensure folks in Arizona know we’re watching.”

Contact health reporter Stephanie Innes at 573-4134 or email sinnes@tucson.com. Follow on Twitter: @stephanieinnes