WASHINGTON -- AARP's endorsement helped secure passage of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Now the seniors' lobby is telling its employees their insurance costs will rise partly as a result of the law.

In an e-mail to employees, AARP says health care premiums will increase by 8 percent to 13 percent next year because of rapidly rising medical costs.

And AARP adds that it's changing copayments and deductibles to avoid a 40 percent tax on high-cost health plans that takes effect in 2018 under the law. Aerospace giant Boeing also has cited the tax in asking its workers to pay more. Shifting costs to employees lowers the value of a health care plan and acts like an escape hatch from the tax...

Some senior citizens are dropping their membership with the AARP following the group's decision to endorse a new government health insurance program.

Last week the American Medical Association and the AARP both endorsed the Democrats' House healthcare bill. AARP executive vice president Nancy LeaMond says the bill "meets our priorities for protecting Medicare, providing more affordable insurance for 50 to 64-year-olds, and reforming our healthcare system."

Stuart Barton, president of the American Seniors Association, an alternative to the AARP, believes the AARP supports the bill because it will make money off the legislation -- not because it will improve the health and wealth of seniors...

In a coup for House Democrats, AARP will endorse sweeping health care overhaul legislation headed for a history-making floor vote, officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

An endorsement from the seniors' lobby was critical when then-President George W. Bush pushed the Medicare prescription drug benefit through a closely divided Congress in 2003. House Democratic leaders are hoping it will work the same political magic for them as they strive to deliver on President Obama's signature issue.

An announcement from the 40-million member group is expected Thursday, said officials with knowledge of the group's decision. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the endorsement is not official yet...