McCain's Plan for Health Insurance

Few would argue that the U.S. has a healthy health care system. Today Arizona Sen. John McCain is giving an address that argues against one thing that is good in the system, employer-provided insurance.

60 percent of Americans are covered by health insurance that is provided by their employer.

"Currently, the U.S. health care system is outrageously expensive, yet inadequate. Despite spending more than twice as much as the rest of the industrialized nations ($7,129 per capita), the United States performs poorly in comparison on major health indicators such as life expectancy, infant mortality and immunization rates. Moreover, the other advanced nations provide comprehensive coverage to their entire populations, while the U.S. leaves 46 million completely uninsured and millions more inadequately covered." -Physicians for a National Health Program

In this light McCain has suggested a change to the current system.

"[McCain's plan is] premised on the idea that the big problem in health care is that Americans have too much insurance – in their words, we don’t have enough “skin in the game” – and that only when we have to buy health care with money that comes directly out of our own pockets will consumers force doctors, hospitals and insurance companies to become more efficient." -Roger Hickey

According to his plan taxpayers would be given tax credit to buy their own insurance. If they can't afford real insurance, then low-cost insurance with high deductibles and many holes in coverage will become standard.

"...those who like their company health care plans could choose to stay in them. The credit would be available as a rebate to people at lower income levels who have no tax liability." -AP

To raise the money for this new system McCain would lift the tax exemption on employer-provided health insurance. This will cause most companies to drop their insurance coverage, forcing employees to use the new system.

Their seems to be many holes in McCain's health care plan that benefit the insurance companies. Is this progress?

McCain's Record Mostly Conservative

AP

Presidential candidate John McCain has fought hard to gain his label as an independent, by chastising fellow Republicans and seemingly working across party lines. This tactic may have alienated him from parts of the Republican party, but he hopes it will gain him the crucial independent vote in November.

Apart from his label as an idependent, McCain's Senate voting record is purely conservative.

The AP released a story outlining his records and positions on key topics.

The likely Republican presidential nominee is much more conservative than voters appear to realize. McCain leans to the right on issue after issue, not just on the Iraq war but also on abortion, gay rights, gun control and other issues that matter to his party's social conservatives.

He is also a supporter of a long term continuing presence of American forces in Iraq.

Project Vote Smart provides a full listing of McCain's Senate voting record grouped into specific topics.

McCain does support stem cell research, which has gained him the ire of social conservatives nationwide. Similar dissaproval comes from the monetary conservatives because of his support of campaign finance reform, the attempt to make money less influential in politics.

On most issues McCain remains strictly conservative. But, the few issues that make him eye candy for independents may sour his chances for full conservative support this November.