The following AARP principles guide the Association’s efforts to promote and sustain individual and population health and improve the health care system by ensuring access to high-quality, affordable care.
Engage Individuals and Communities to Support Healthy Living—healthy living and healthy communities are critical to ensuring our nation’s health and well-being. Individuals, government, and the private sector should work together to promote improvements in health, transportation, housing, nutrition, and community design.
Ensure Adequacy and Affordability—public and private health insurance should offer coverage for adequate benefit packages. Costs, such as premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pockets expenses, should not be burdensome on consumers or limit access to coverage or necessary services. Sufficient financial assistance should be available to lower-income consumers to ensure affordability for all.
Deliver High Quality Care and Contain Costs—the health care system should advance population health, improve quality, and spend more effectively. The public and private sector should engage in and support innovative quality improvement and cost containment approaches to ensure value and improve the sustainability of the health care system.
Ensure Access—public and private policies and practices should eliminate disparities and ensure access to health and health care that is supported by a robust, diverse, and qualified workforce.