Burlington Free Press

Senate bill S. 88 clearly states that the commission shall consist of no members with a relationship to health providers or insurers. Jim Leddy as president of AARP Vermont obviously has such a relationship, volunteer or not. Since one of the designs mandated in S. 88 is a single-payer-type health care plan, any tie to the health insurance industry is an oblivious conflict of interest.

AARP makes a substantial portion of its income from brokering so-called Medi Gap policies with insurance companies, such as United Health, Aetna, etc., under its branded name. Therefore, since a single-payer would eliminate the need for such supplemental policies, and along with it much of AARP’s income, how can this not be a conflict as House Speaker Shap Smith and AARP Vermont Executive Director Greg Marchildon state?

JERRY KILCOURSE
Montpelier