The American Association of Retired Persons, also known as AARP, is one of the largest membership organizations in the United States. With a membership base of nearly 38 million senior citizens over 50, AARP has become a household name in the US.
The nonprofit advocacy organization is well known for providing its members with various membership benefits and services, such as health insurance plans, car insurance, information on healthcare, wellness and social security, as well as general advocacy.
Founded in 1958, AARP says its mission is to empower older adults to choose how they live as they age. The organization provides various resources to assist seniors during their later years and engages in advocacy efforts, including lobbying for policy changes like Medicare reform to represent the needs and interests of older Americans.
Do we need an alternative to AARP?
As with any large organization, AARP has faced criticism and challenges. Some conservative seniors feel that the organization's political leanings do not align with theirs, while others believe that their concerns and needs are not always adequately addressed.
The organization has been embroiled in controversy in the past, too; for instance, insurers working with AARP were selling the same deals at higher prices to AARP members to offset the high advertising costs associated with AARP. Those advertising with the AARP can access its sizable audience via the aarp.org website as well as the various publications members receive. But costs can also be prohibitive, meaning many members only get access to limited choices.
All of this has led to people seeking alternatives to AARP. Many similar organizations position themselves as the “conservative alternative” to AARP in an effort to sway senior citizens with right-leaning values. Others adopt a more non-partisan approach.
Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC)
AMAC positions itself as a conservative-leaning group that offers many of the same benefits as the AARP. AMAC and AARP charge the same nominal membership fee of $16 annually.
AMAC openly supports conservative agendas and criticizes AARP for what it perceives as liberal bias. Despite being smaller than AARP, with about 2.5 million members compared to AARP’s much larger membership base, AMAC brings an alternative perspective on issues affecting seniors, which appeals to many.
AMAC has been around since 2007 and started because the founders believed AARP didn’t properly advocate for the needs of older people. AMAC, for instance, stands against Obamacare and strongly opposes AARP’s perceived support of the policy. In May 2022, AMAC’s CEO accused AARP of “going woke”, pointing out their support for “family-friendly drag shows”.
Just like AARP, AMAC advocates for social security benefits and provides information on products related to family caregiving, Medicare (including Medicare Advantage), long-term care insurance, and ways to save on healthcare and prescription drugs. But, it positions itself as the voice for conservative older people who believe in American values.
It essentially exists to give a conservative alternative to AARP while promoting many of the same services expected of senior organizations.
The Seniors Coalition (TSC)
The Seniors Coalition (TSC) is a grassroots lobbying group advocating for issues that affect senior citizens through newsletters, public events, and petitions. Unlike the AARP and AMAC, TSC doesn’t offer products or services beyond advocacy for specific issues.
The organization’s website is sparse, but its key issues revolve around Social Security and Medicare. While AARP has a significantly larger membership base and offers a wider range of benefits and services, TSC provides a platform for those who may align more with its specific advocacy efforts and smaller-scale operations.
American Seniors Association (ASA)
The American Seniors Association (ASA) makes its political leanings very clear on its homepage. It states it’ll advocate for its member's “conservative values”. The organization represents the conservative voice on national issues and is open to membership for American seniors over 50.
ASA, like AMAC and AARP, offers its members a range of benefits beyond advocacy. These include things like:
- Auto insurance and roadside assistance products.
- Medicare consultations.
- Medical discount plans.
- Discounts on senior living products.
ASA offers benefits in the travel, leisure, and wellness space too. In many ways, its offers are comparable to what you’d get with AMAC and AARP. Still, its advocacy efforts focus mainly on reforming Social Security and Medicare, and the organization describes itself as the “conservative alternative to the AARP”.
While ASA claims to be different from AMAC, in truth, the two organizations are philosophically similar. They may partner with different companies and place more significance on some advocacy issues over others, but they’re both conservative-leaning and likely to appeal to senior citizens with right-leaning values.
AgeGroup
Not everyone wants a politically charged organization obsessed with chasing a specific agenda. That’s where AgeGroup comes in. It’s a non-partisan organization for senior citizens all over the world. It works to bring you the best products and services from a wide range of companies, not just the ones with a massive marketing budget.
But AgeGroup is more than that. It’s also developing its own products that suit the modern elder. From fintech solutions to help with caregiving as people age to social media options for older people, AgeGroup designs innovative products with seniors in mind.
If you’re looking for an organization that’s too busy creating awesome products for older people to involve itself in politics, then AgeGroup might be a better option.
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