SEIU Sends Third “Dear John” Letter To Senator John McCain

May 14, 2008 -- SEIU today sent a third “Dear John” letter to Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president. SEIU members are offering their assistance in the absence of any economic blueprint from McCain and will continue sending letters until he meets with them and presents proposals that put working families first.

In the letter, Roselilly Story, a registered nurse from Gulfport, Florida and member of SEIU Healthcare Florida, suggests how McCain can address one of the major economic concerns working families have - the high cost of health care. When McCain stopped in the Tampa area to release his health care plan, Story participated in a news conference highlighting the plan’s shortcomings.

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“Dear John,

“You came to Florida recently to discuss a health care plan you admit still needs more details. The problem isn’t so much in the details – it’s that your plan will help insurance companies while forcing millions of Americans to pay more money for worse coverage.

“Most Americans get health care through their employer, but by making that coverage taxable, your plan will shift the high cost of health care onto workers. You should instead give employers the choice to either provide insurance or contribute toward the cost of a public plan. That will give them affordable options while covering more working families.

“Second, your proposed $5,000 tax credit per family will not buy much coverage in the individual insurance market. Stop pretending that the amount will come anywhere near the coverage those with employer health care receive currently.

Finally, I hope you’ll no longer use children for photo opportunities like the one in Miami who wouldn’t even be covered by your plan because he has a cleft palate (called a pre-existing condition by insurance companies). As you campaign across the country, try giving us some straight talk and admit your plan does nothing to require insurers to cover pre-existing conditions for people like your fellow cancer survivors and will leave millions without access to health care.

Source: SEIU