Following sent several Pennsylvania TV stations covering several markets.                                                                 #1  John's record on healthcare
Your viewing public should be made aware of John's long-standing record on healthcare  while this  presidential election of 2008 quickly draws to a close. Some of your viewers may view this information as a plus, while others may not. However, in the interest of public awareness, I urge your station to consider using all, or any part of these well-documented facts.

Your truly,
www.poorbensjournal.com

Children's Health:

McCain Voted To Cut, Eliminate, Restrict Health Insurance Coverage for Low Income Children and Pregnant Mothers At Least SIX Times. [SCR 27, Vote #76, 5/21/97; S 949, Vote #149, 6/27/97; HR 4810, Vote #204, 7/17/00; H.R. 976, Vote #307, 8/2/07; S 3, Vote #45, 3/11/03; H.R. 3963, Vote #401, 10/31/07]

McCain Opposed Extending Coverage To Uninsured Children. On October 31, 2007, after President Bush vetoed the first SCHIP reauthorization, McCain again opposed expanding SCHIP to millions of additional children. He voted against a motion to invoke cloture and bring the reauthorization forward for a vote before the Senate. The motion passed 62-33. [H.R. 3963, Vote #401, 10/31/07]

McCain Opposed Reauthorizing SCHIP And Providing Insurance For Millions Of Uninsured Children. In August 2007, McCain voted against passage of H.R. 976, which would have reauthorized the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). According to Knight Ridder, "The Senate proposal would provide coverage to 3.2 million" uninsured children and renew coverage for the 6 million children already covered by the program. The legislation passed 68-31. [H.R. 976, Vote #307, 8/2/07; Knight Ridder, 8/2/07]

McCain Voted Against Allowing Uninsured Parents To Enroll In The Same Plans As Their Children. In 2000, McCain voted against an amendment would allow states to expand coverage under the Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Programs (S-CHIP) to the parents of the children enrolled in the program. The amendment failed 51-47. [HR 4810, Vote #204, 7/17/00]

Uninsured and Access to Care : McCain Opposed Expanding Health Care Coverage And Containing Rising Costs. In 2004, McCain voted against an amendment that provided an additional $60 billion over five years to expand health care coverage. The amendment failed 43-53. [SCR 95, Vote #47, 3/11/04]

McCain Voted To Allow Medical Savings Accounts. In 1996, McCain voted in support of an amendment that established medical savings accounts, which allow individuals to make tax deductible contributions to special accounts set up to pay medical expenses. The amendment failed 51-47. [HR 4810, Vote #204, 7/17/00]

Uninsured and Access to Care:  McCain Opposed Expanding Health Care Coverage And Containing Rising Costs. In 2004, McCain voted against an amendment that provided an additional $60 billion over five years to expand health care coverage. The amendment failed 43-53. [SCR 95, Vote #47, 3/11/04]

McCain Voted To Allow Medical Savings Accounts. In 1996, McCain voted in support of an amendment that established medical savings accounts, which allow individuals to make tax deductible contributions to special accounts set up to pay medical expenses. The Washington Post reported critics' attacks of MSA's: "Opponents call them a lavish tax break for the rich and a bad idea for the country as the healthy and wealthy choose them and leave the poor and sick in the traditional insurance pool." The amendment was defeated 52-46. [S 1028, Vote #72, 4/18/96; Washington Post, 4/19/96]

McCain Opposed Expanding COBRA Coverage to Retirees. In 2000, McCain voted against an amendment that would have expanded COBRA coverage to include retirees whose employer-sponsored health care coverage was terminated and to provide a 25-percent tax credit for COBRA coverage. The amendment failed 30-68. [HR 4810, Vote #202, 7/17/00]

McCain Voted Against Providing Tax Credits to Small Businesses That Offer Health Insurance To Employees. In 2000, McCain voted against considering an amendment that would have provided a tax credit to small businesses that offered health insurance coverage to their employees. The amendment failed 49-49. [HR 4810, Vote #205, 7/17/00]

McCain Opposed Requiring Health Plans To Pay For Post-Stabilization Services At Hospitals Under Certain Circumstances. In 1999, McCain voted to require all group health plans to allow their participants to go to emergency rooms for treatment without prior authorization under the "prudent layperson" standard. McCain voted against requiring a health plan to pay for any post-stabilization services if a health plan could not be reached for instructions on further care within 1 hour after stabilization of a patient and if the care given met the regulatory definition for covered post-stabilization care currently used by Medicare and Medicaid for their health maintenance organization (HMO) participants.

voted against requiring a health plan to pay for any post-stabilization services if a health plan could not be reached for instructions on further care within 1 hour after stabilization of a patient and if the care given met the regulatory definition for covered post-stabilization care currently used by Medicare and Medicaid for their health maintenance organization (HMO) participants (that definition is "medically necessary, non-emergency services furnished to an enrollee after he or she is stabilized following an emergency medical condition"). The amendment failed 47-53. [S 1344, Vote #201, 7/13/99]

McCain Voted Against Increasing Benefits For Children With Special Needs In The Social Security Act. In 1997, McCain voted to table an amendment that would revise the Social Security Act to include additional benefits for children with special needs, including physical, speech and language therapy, and mental health services. The motion to table passed 57-43. [S 947, Vote #128, 6/25/97]

McCain Voted Against A $3,000 Tax Credit To Help Seniors Or Their Families Pay For Long-Term Care. In 2000, McCain voted against an amendment that would increase the general estate tax exemption and provide seniors with long term care needs or their caregivers a $3000 tax credit phased beginning in 2001. The credit would be $1000 the first year and increase in $500 increments each year. Taxpayers with long term care needs, or with spouses or dependents with long term care need would be eligible for the tax credit. The amendment failed 46-51. [HR 8, Vote #193, 7/14/00]

McCain Opposed Providing $20 Billion Over 10 Years To Home Health Care Providers. In 1999, McCain voted against an amendment to reserve $20 billion over 10 years for relief from the unintended consequences of the Balanced Budget Act on teaching hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health care providers, rural and other community hospitals, and other health care providers, by reducing or deferring certain new tax breaks in the bill. The motion was rejected 50-50. [S 1429, Vote #234, 7/30/99]

McCain Opposed a Measure to Create a New Program for Home and Community-Based Long-Term Care. McCain voted against an amendment that would have created a new program to provide States with funds for home and community-based long-term care services for people with disabilities. [Vote #533, Motion Rejected 45-54, 104th

McCain Opposed a Measure to Create a New Program for Home and Community-Based Long-Term Care. McCain voted against an amendment that would have created a new program to provide States with funds for home and community-based long-term care services for people with disabilities. [Vote #533, Motion Rejected 45-54, 104th Congress, 1st Session, 10/27/95]

McCain Has Voted To Cut, Restrict, And Underfund Medicaid At Least Seven Times. [HJR 2, Vote #21, 1/23/03; HCR 178, Vote #159, 6/13/96; HCR 178, Vote #156, 5/23/96; SCR 57, Vote #117, 5/16/96; HCR 67, Vote #296, 6/29/95; SCR 13, Vote #173, 5/22/95; S. 947, Vote #124, 6/25/97; S. 947, Vote #111, 6/24/97; HCR 67, Vote #296, 6/29/95]

McCain Voted Not To Improve Health Care Under The Medicare And Medicaid Programs. In 2003, McCain voted against a measure which would have increased funding for health care programs under Medicare and Medicaid by $4.1 billion. The motion was rejected 41-56. [H.J.R. 2, Vote #21, 1/23/03]

McCain Voted To Cut Medicaid Funding By $182 Billion. In 1995, McCain voted for adoption of the conference report on the fiscal 1996 budget resolution to put in place a seven-year plan to balance the budget by 2002 by cutting projected spending by $894 billion, including cuts of $270 billion from Medicare, $182 billion from Medicaid, $190 billion in non-defense spending, and $175 billion from various entitlement programs such as welfare. The conference report was agreed to 54-46. [HCR 67, Vote #296, 6/29/95]

McCain Voted To Cut An Estimated $72 Billion From Medicaid As Part Of The FY 1997 Budget Resolution. In 1996, McCain voted for adoption of the conference report on the concurrent resolution to establish a six-year plan to balance the federal budget by 2002. Projected spending cuts over six years include $158.1 billion in Medicare, $72 billion from Medicaid, $53 billion from welfare and $297.9 billion from discretionary spending. The conference report passed 53-46. [HCR 178, Vote159

McCain Voted To Restrict Access To Medicare At Least Two Times. McCain has voted to raise the eligibility age and add means testing for Medicare. [S 947, Vote #112, 6/24/97; S 947, Vote #115, 6/25/97]

McCain Voted To Raise The Medicare Eligibility Age From 65 to 67. In 1997, McCain voted in favor of raising the eligibility age for receiving Medicare from 65 to 67 with the change being phased in between 2003 and 2027. The motion passed 62-38. [S 947, Vote #112, 6/24/97]

McCain Supported Increasing The Medicare Eligibility Age. In 1997, McCain voted for an increase in the eligibility age of Medicare, creating a home health co-payment, and means testing Medicare part B. McCain voted to drive healthy people from the Medicare system. The motion failed 25-75. [S 947, Vote #115, 6/25/97]

McCain Has Voted To Cut, Restrict, And Underfund Medicare At Least 18 Times. [S. 1932, Vote #363, 12/21/05; S. 1932, Vote #303, 11/3/2005; S. 1, Vote #253, 6/26/03; S. 1, Vote #247, 6/26/03; SCR 23, Vote #89, 3/25/03; HJR 2, Vote #21, 1/23/03; H.C.R. 83, Vote #73, 4/5/01; S.C.R. 86, Vote #53, 4/1/98; H.C.R. 178, Vote #156, 5/23/96; H.C.R. 178, Vote #159, 6/13/96; H.R. 2491, Vote #584,11/17/95; H.R. 2491, Vote #556, 10/27/95; H.C.R. 67, Vote #296, 6/29/95; S.C.R. 13, Vote #232, 5/25/95; S. 1357, Vote #499, 10/26/95; 5/23/96; S 1357, Vote #524, 10/27/95; SCR 13, Vote #218, 5/25/95; S.C.R. 13, Vote #173]

McCain Voted to Cut $6.4 Billion from Medicare. In 2005, McCain voted for the budget reconciliation bill that cut funding for Medicare by $6.4 billion by requiring that beneficiaries purchase medical equipment and cutting payments to home health care providers. The motion passed 50-50, with Vice President Cheney casting the deciding vote. [S. 1932, Vote #363, 12/21/05]

McCain Voted Against Funding For Rural Medicare Health Care Providers. In 2003, McCain voted against an amendment that would reduce the enormous tax cut given to the wealthiest American tax payers in order to give a fair reimbursement to rural health care providers under Medicare. [SCR 23, Vote #89, 3/25/03]

McCain Voted Against Increasing Funding For Medicare and Medicaid Programs By $4.1 Billion. In 2003, McCain voted against a measure which would have increased funding for edicare health care programs.

providers under Medicare. [SCR 23, Vote #89, 3/25/03]

McCain Voted Against Increasing Funding For Medicare and Medicaid Programs By $4.1 Billion. In 2003, McCain voted against a measure which would have increased funding for health care programs under Medicare and Medicaid by $4.1 billion. The motion was rejected 41-56. [HJR 2, Vote #21, 1/23/03]

McCain Voted to Cut an Estimated $158.1 Billion from Medicare. In 1996, McCain voted in favor of cutting Medicare by $158.1 billion over six years. He first voted in favor of the Senate version of the Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Resolution that contained the cut and then voted for the same cut in the conference report. Both passed 53-46. [H.C.R. 178, Vote #156, 5/23/1996; H.C.R. 178, Vote #159, 6/13/1996]

McCain Voted to Cut Medicare by $270 billion. In 1995, McCain voted for budget that would cut Medicare by $270 billion. [H.R. 2491, Vote #584, 11/17/1995; H.R. 2491, Vote #556, 10/27/1995; H.C.R. 67, Vote #296, 6/29/1995]

McCain Voted Against Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage At Least Twenty-Eight Times. [S 1, Vote #262, 6/26/03; S1, Vote #259, 6/26/03; S 1, Vote #254, 6/26/03; S 1, Vote #253, 6/26/03; S1, Vote #250, 6/26/03; S 1, Vote #240, 6/24/03; S 1, Vote #239, 6/24/03; S 1, Vote #236, 6/24/03; S 1, Vote #234, 6/24/03; S 1, Vote #229, 6/19/03; S 1, Vote #227, 6/18/03; S. 1932, Vote #363, 12/21/05; S 1932, Vote #302, 11/3/05; S 1054, Vote #159, 5/15/03; SCR 23, Vote 389, 3/25/03; SCR 23, Vote #83, 3/25/03; SCR 23, Vote #63, 3/20/03; S 812, Vote #199, 7/31/02 ;S 812, Vote #187, 7/23/02; S 812, Vote #186, 7/23/02; S 812, Vote #182, 7/18/02; HCR 83, Vote #66, 4/3/01; HCR 83, Vote #65, 4/3/01; HR 4810, Vote #206, 7/17/00; HR 8, Vote #186, 7/13/00; HR 4577, Vote #144, 6/22/00; SCR 101, Vote #52, 4/5/00; S 1429, Vote #231, 7/29/99]

McCain Voted Against the Prescription Drug/Medicare Bill After Voting Down 12 Important Enhancements to the Legislation. In 2003, McCain voted against a Medicare bill which did little to lower the costs of prescription drugs. Under the limited drug benefit, those with drug costs below $5,800 would still have to pay