AARP to Biden group: Exempt entitlements

The powerful seniors lobby called on Vice President Joe Biden and six congressional deficit negotiators to exempt Medicare and Social Security from any spending caps they are discussing in the context of raising the nation's debt ceiling.

“AARP recognizes the importance of confronting our nation’s fiscal challenges. But as leaders begin to hammer out solutions, we urge them not to subject Medicare and Social Security to arbitrary spending limits that could jeopardize the benefits that millions of older Americans have earned through a life time of hard work," AARP CEO Barry Rand said in a statement.

AARP this week launched an advertising campaign against any cuts to Medicare and Social Security as part of a deal to raise the nation's $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, which is estimated to be reached by May 16.

“Rather than singling out Medicare, we believe the focus of any reforms should be on making the delivery of health care more efficient and cost effective to all Americans. And we believe we should tackle our budgetary challenges and devise common-sense solutions without making damaging cuts to Social Security — which, as a self-financed program, should be addressed in a separate debate focused on the need for retirement security," Rand said.

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