SEATTLE - AARP took a bold step this month by endorsing the Affordable Health Care for America Act, the health care reform bill passed by the U.S. House. But are its members actually in favor of the bill? AARP Washington surveyed more than 400 of them around the state and says the answer is 'yes' -- even across political lines.

The group has been criticized for endorsing the House legislation, primarily by those who say AARP profits from the sale of insurance policies to people over age 50. But Doug Shadel, AARP state director, says the survey results show the endorsement is in line with the views of Washington members, no matter what their political party.

"There is strong support among independents for this; strong support among Democrats; and over 50 percent support in most provisions of the law, even for Republicans in the state among our membership."

Much of the debate has centered around Medicare, the government health care program for those aged 65 and over. The view of AARP is that the House bill makes improvements to Medicare, and Shadel says most survey respondents agreed.

"Seventy-five percent of our members support allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. Closing the doughnut hole, which is the gap in coverage for prescription drugs - 70 percent of our members statewide support closing it. And it just goes on and on from there."

Shadel says more than 70 percent of those surveyed also agreed that insurance companies should not be able to restrict or deny medical coverage based on a person's health history, and that people should be able to keep their current doctors and current health insurance plans if they want to. The survey was taken the first week of November.