Tag: McCain

Ted Kennedy Shows Up to Vote; McCain Absent

Jul 10, 2008• 7

By MAGGIE MAHAR

When Ted Kennedy came onto the Senate floor, his colleagues cheered.

He was there to vote on the bill that would prevent a 10.6 percent cut to physicians who treat Medicare patients.

Just before Congress broke for the July 4 holiday, the bill missed the 60 votes needed to pass by just one vote.

Today, Kennedy, who is battling a brain tumor, brought that vote to the Senate floor. “Aye,” the 76-year-old Kennedy said, grinning and making a thumbs-up gesture as he registered his vote.

Meanwhile, it appeared that Republican members of the Senate had been released to vote as they wished after it became apparent that the 60-vote threshold would be met. Pressure from seniors, the AARP, and the AMA had been mounting on members who voted against the bill June 26.

Against Obama, polls show McCain lags on health care

May 21, 2008• 4

By Robert Laszewski

The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll on health care should give John McCain reason to be concerned.

The early May poll asked voters, "Regardless of whom you may support, whom do you trust more to handle health care?" The answer was Obama by 55 percent and McCain by 31 percent. And this poll was done a few days after his much publicized week-long health care tour.

McCain also did poorly on the other economic issues, although not as
badly. On gas prices, it was Obama 48 percent and McCain 28 percent. On the economy
in general, it was 48 percent to 38 percent.

McCain did better on the war on terror — 55 percent to 34 percent. The two tied over who would do the best in Iraq. It is still early and polls are notoriously unreliable this far out.
But my sense is that McCain has some big work to do on health care.

Implications of McCain’s plan analyzed at Spot-On

May 15, 2008• 1

By THCB Staff

Over at Spot-On, Matthew predicts what would happen if Sen. John McCain were to win the presidential election this fall, and the Republicans took Congress, and they passed his health plan.

Matthew describes the basic tenets in McCain’s plan and their implications in (nearly) jargon-free lingo, and then concludes, "His halfway solution is worse than no change."

Presidential candidates’ health plans

May 12, 2008• 6

By THCB Staff

As a service to our readers, we’ve compiled all the presidential candidates’ health plans in one place for you to easily access. Soon, we’ll have a section of the TCHB devoted to the presidential race and health reform.

Click on the candidate to see his or her full plan for health reform.

As the race carries on, we’ll bring you updated analysis from the candidate’s health advisers, left – and right-leaning wonks and THCB contributors.

Also here is the Kaiser Network’s side-by-side comparison of the current candidates’ plans for quick reference.

Robert Laszewski’s nonpartisan analysis of each candidate’s plan previously posted on THCB are here:

If you’re interested in seeing health reform plans of the candidates who dropped out of the race, here’s the Kaiser Network’s side-by-side comparison.

McCain Would Increase Medicare Part D Premiums

Apr 18, 2008• 4

By Robert Laszewski

Oie_399px_john_mccain_mackinac_isla As part of his broader speech on economic issues John McCain last week called for high income seniors to pay more for their D drug coverage. Couples making more than $160,000 a year would pay higher premiums.

This is a good idea and a down payment on something I believe is ultimately unavoidable– means testing for entitlement programs.

It isn’t news that the cost of senior programs –Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid–are not sustainable. The current federal cost for these three programs now tops $27,000 a year for each senior over the age of 65. That number increased 24% since 2000– after adjusting for inflation.

John McCain: Never a Day Without Government Health Insurance

Apr 12, 2008• 32

By Sarah Arnquist

Oie_399px_john_mccain_mackinac_isla Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) emphasizes freedom, personal choice
and responsibility when promoting his plan to reform America’s health care system. He’s not calling for an incremental approach but "nothing short of a complete reform of the culture of our health system and the way we pay for it will suffice."

This post isn’t a play-by-play of McCain’s health care proposal.

Visit his Web site to read those talking points. Or read Bob Laszewski’s detailed analysis on THCB.

This is an examination of his biography to point out that the man who wants to reduce state-regulated health insurance and hard-won consumer protections has never spent a day of his life outside the cozy blankets of publicy-sponsored government health coverage.