John McCain: John McCain's Bush-Like Health Care Plan: More of the Same

October 11, 2007 -- WASHINGTON - Despite widespread dissatisfaction with the Bush presidency, John McCain insists on offering more of the same failed Bush policies that have been a disaster for the American people. McCain's new new health care plan, unveiled today, not only looks a lot like Bush's failed plan, it also ignores the plight of the 47 million Americans who are uninsured and the soaring costs of health care.

Taking the lead from George W. Bush, McCain's tax credit gimmick, a Bush plan redux, is more likely to lead to loss of coverage or higher costs for Americans already weighed down by exorbitant health care expenses. Adding insult to injury, McCain's plan would gut mandates in 44 states that require coverage of emergency room care, direct access to an OB/GYN, and other important services.

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"After voting against health care for uninsured kids, John McCain is now making it clear he just doesn't get it when it comes to health care," said DNC spokesman Luis Miranda. "The American people aren't looking for four more years of President Bush's failed policies, but that's exactly what John McCain is offering with his so-called health care plan. McCain's insurance company bill of rights doesn't just ignore the plight of the uninsured and the soaring costs of health care, it would force even more hard working Americans out of the health care coverage they need."

Below is a new DNC Research Fact Sheet on McCain's Bush-like plan:
MCCAIN PLAN MIMICS FAILED BUSH PLAN

No Help For 47 Million Uninsured, Gutted State Coverage
Rules And Little Hope Of Expanding Coverage

NO HELP FOR 47 MILLION WITHOUT INSURANCE

McCain's plan does not focus on "reducing the ranks of the uninsured," of which there are about 47 million, or one in seven Americans. [Wall Street Journal, 10/11/07]

PLAN WOULD GUT REQUIREMENTS PASSED IN ALMOST EVERY STATE

McCain Would Dislodge State Regulations. McCain's plan would allow companies to offer national plans based in states that don't have requirements passed by the vast majority of other states, including emergency care, required by 44 states. "Mr. McCain would also allow people to buy insurance across state lines." [Wall Street Journal, 10/11/07]

State Mandates That Would Be Overridden Include:

• Emergency Room Care (currently required by 44 states)
• Direct Access to OB/GYN (44 states)
• Diabetes (47 States)
• Colorectal Cancer Screening (23 States)
• Mental Health Parity (45 States)
• Post-Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction (33 States)
• Off-Label Prescription Drug Use (36 States)
• Chiropractors (46 states)
• Clinical Trials (20 States)

SOURCE: National Conference of State Legislatures (http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/hmolaws.ht`m), accessed 7/30/07; Council For Affordable Health Insurance, accessed 7/30/07 (http://www.cahi.org/cahi_contents/resources/pdf/MandatePub2007.pdf)

TAX CREDITS & INDIVIDUAL MARKET: BUSH ALREADY TRIED THIS AND FAILED

McCain Wants To Move Away From Employer-Based System. "The existing tax break for employer-sponsored insurance would be eliminated, taking a step away from the work-based model in place for the last half century and toward an individual market." [Wall Street Journal, 10/11/07]

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Bush's Plan Panned For Eroding Employer-Sponsored Health Care. Experts criticized Bush's health care plan proposed early in 2007 because it would "erode the employer-sponsored system that still provides coverage to more than half of all Americans." It prompted fear among many that the plan "would prompt more employers to drop health coverage and offer employees an immediate increase in wages to buy coverage on the individual market. But those plans tend to be more expensive, less comprehensive and harder to get for consumers who are already sick." [Washington Post, 1/25/07]

McCain Just Like Bush Plan. "President Bush proposed a similar idea" to the tax credits in McCain's plan, which was dead-on-arrival in Congress in early 2007, because the plan only awarded those who purchased insurance in the private market. [Wall Street Journal, 10/11/07; Washington Post, 1/25/07]

Experts "Skeptical" Of Fundamentals. "But health-care policy experts yesterday were skeptical …saying it will be hard to entice people to leave employer-based programs and also difficult to push marketplace prices down so much that the uninsured can jump in." [New York Newsday, 8/1/07]

Experts: McCain's Plan Would Make It Hard For Those Who Need It Most To Find Coverage. In a plan like McCain's for individual coverage, it would be "difficult for older, sicker people to find affordable coverage or, in some cases, any coverage at all." [Wall Street Journal, 6/7/07]

NY Times: Danger Of Cherry-Picking. Among the central criticisms of moving away from an employer-based system" is the concern that insurance companies would " 'cherry pick' by insuring only healthier people, or by charging much higher rates to more vulnerable people -- like those with chronic diseases.: [New York Times, 8/1/07]

Source: John McCain campaign