There’s been a lot of confusion about what’s involved in health care reform, and even more confusion about who is supporting what.

At AARP, our core goal remains the same. We are fighting for our members today, just as we’ve fought for them for the last 50 years. AARP has long been committed to reforming America’s broken health care system, and our policy and reform activities are driven by one goal — protecting older Americans and their health care choices. We are fighting to protect the Medicare benefits you’ve earned, to guarantee that you’ll never be denied coverage because of your health or age and to prevent anyone from coming between you and your doctor.

Specifically, AARP is fighting to:

Protect Medicare.

AARP is fighting to ensure seniors get the benefits they’ve earned and to strengthen Medicare for future generations. We are fighting to ensure Medicare pays doctors fairly so seniors can keep the doctor of their choice or more easily find a doctor if they don’t have one. We’re also working to fill in the gaps in today’s benefit package, such as closing the Part D “doughnut hole” coverage gap and eliminating out-of-pocket costs for important preventive care like cancer screenings and diabetes tests.

Eliminate waste.

AARP believes we must reduce waste in Medicare so we can ensure today’s seniors continue to get the benefits they’ve been promised. We need to stop Medicare from paying billions in subsidies to private insurance companies. We must make sure the government cracks down on abuse by those who fraudulently bill Medicare. We also need to stop over-billing and eliminate duplicative tests and paperwork. AARP is also fighting to prevent unnecessary hospital readmissions by providing follow-up care that will help older Americans safely transition home after a hospital stay. By eliminating this waste, we can protect senior benefits and fill in some of the gaps in Medicare.

Preserve your choice of doctor.

At AARP, we know how important it is for our members to have the freedom to choose their own doctor. That’s why we’re fighting to ensure doctors get paid fairly. Without health reform, Medicare doctors will be forced to take a 21 percent pay cut. We also support giving primary care providers bonus payments, which will help ensure that people with chronic conditions can get the care they need.

Protect your right to make medical decisions.

AARP is fighting to ensure that all health decisions are made by you and your doctor, not your insurance company or the government. No matter what your age, your care should be your choice. AARP also believes that seniors need more options, including increased services to help them live independently in their homes and communities.

Prevent age discrimination.

AARP believes insurance companies should not be able to use age as an excuse to make health insurance unaffordable for older Americans. We’re also fighting to ensure that older Americans who need extra help paying for premiums and out-of-pocket costs can get it. In addition, AARP is fighting to ensure no one is denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition or gets dropped if they got sick.

Protect consumers.

AARP is fighting to stop drug companies from over-charging you by: enabling drug price negotiation; allowing safe, legal importation of lower-priced prescription drugs from abroad; and permitting the sale of generic versions of biologic drugs — costly medications for diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis.

AARP’s mission is to make our members’ voices heard in national debates that affect their future. That’s why we’ve made it clear to members of the Minnesota congressional delegation and across the nation that we will fight with the strength of our nearly 40 million members against any proposal to cut benefits or increase out-of-pocket costs for seniors.

As Congress hammers out a final health care reform bill, AARP pledges to provide you with timely information so you can decide what health care reform will mean for you. No matter which way the debate goes, we’ll be fighting for you — because your health is worth fighting for.

Michele Kimball is state director of AARP in Minnesota.