Some of us are getting to that age where we are getting notices to join AARP. Don’t do it.

Renowned pollster Jim McLaughlin recently asked seniors what they think of AARP’s incestuous relationship with one of the largest health insurers and here is his takeaway:

AARP receives $1 billion in corporate financial royalties yearly. That’s three times what it earns in dues from its members and represents more than half of its annual operating revenues. In fact, more than $6 billion in royalties over the last decade have come from a single corporation: UnitedHealthcare… AARP and UnitedHealthcare lobby Congress on Medicare. Both make more revenue when older Americans purchase AARP-branded UnitedHealthcare policies. The IRA included drug price controls that will lead to shortages and fewer investments in cutting-edge treatments, which could save big insurer-PBMs lots of money.

So, how do older Americans feel about all this? McLaughlin & Associates (my business) conducted a recent national study to find out. We polled nearly 700 AARP members. The results clearly show that AARP and the people it claims to serve are on very different pages regarding Medicare and the IRA.