McCain's Health Care Plan Attacked In Million Dollar Independent Ad

The independent progressive group Heath Care For America Now! released a batch of eight ads targeting John McCain and seven incumbent House members Wednesday morning. Operating as a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization, the group is pouring $4.3 million into all the spots. While the congressional ads will air on targeted local stations, the McCain ad, entitled "Fighter," will get a $1 million push on national cable, in addition to airings in Ohio.

While HCAN is forbidden by law from coordinating with Democratic committees, the McCain ad happens to target precisely the same issue as Obama's latest spot -- specifically by raising doubts questions about McCain's plan to tax employer-based health care.

Watch:

"With less than thirty days to go before Election Day, it is urgent that voters know where the candidates stand on health care," said Richard Kirsch, the group's national campaign manager. "For families struggling to make ends meet, the high cost of health care has been a leading economic indicator. Now is the time to convince every candidate and member of Congress to stand on the side of quality, affordable health care for all and not on the side of handing over more control to the private health insurance companies. Our goal is to get the next President and a majority of Congress committed to the principles of quality, affordable health care for all in 2009."

The seven congressional spots will target the records and positions of Senator John Sununu (R-NH), Congressman Ric Keller (FL-8), Congressman Randy Kuhl (NY-29), Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-7) and candidates Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9), Marty Ozinga (IL-11), and Erik Paulsen (MN-3).

McCain Ad Script:

I've never faced an enemy like cancer.

But it's ok. I'm a fighter.

Story continues below

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Under John McCain's health care plan, 20 million (people) could lose their insurance at work - I could be one of them.

And with a pre-existing condition like cancer, I couldn't get coverage on my own.

He wants me to fight cancer and the insurance companies?

Fine. I'll take you both on.

VO: Ask Senator McCain which side he's on.

TITLE:

Senator McCain

Which side are you on - ours or the insurance companies'?

www.whichsidearetheyon.com

VO:

Health Care for America Now is responsible for the content of this advertising

TITLE:

Paid for by Health Care for America Now, www.healthcareforamericanow.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. HCAN is responsible for the content of this advertising.

Comments

[Mercy8 om]

Please do something to address the possibility that Acorn is doing soemthing fraudulent. Don't let Acorn screw this up for Obama!!!!!!!!!!

[mandalaina]

It won't.

[jkminwa]

Please. +Ro//, take your ACORN spam elsewhere

[ensure]

Key Issues: Three Things Every Voter Should Know About John McCain: http://www.sefermpost.com/sefermpost/2008/10/key-issues-thre.html

[MourningDude]

"Under John McCain's health care plan, 20 million (people) could lose their insurance at work"

This is an outright fraud.

Every time a Democrat cites that number, they are perpetrating a fraud on the voters.

That number comes from an analysis that considered only the effect of taxing health insurance benefits, IN ISOLATION.

Of course employers would drop insurance coverage if the government suddenly started taxing benefits in isolation. But that's not what McCain's plan does.

McCain's plan reverses those taxes by offering a $5000 tax credit for every family. The vast majority of working families with health insurance at work would end up ahead in the end, since the amount of the tax credit would more than offset the taxes paid. Making attack ads based on a fundamentally flawed analysis of a single part of the package proposed by McCain is disgusting.

If Republicans did a similar narrow analysis and started running ads that Obama's health insurance plan would "only" fine people, and just ignored the parts about providing assistance, Dems would rightly attack it.

These ads, and comments to the same effect by Obama and Biden are preying on people's ignorance and trust.

[krm1255]

And explain to me what incentive those companies will have to continue offering insurance to their employees? Won't they drop it assuming that the tax credit will take care of things?

Wake up and smell the coffee. Many companies will stop providing benefits and $5000 won't replace them.

Trickle down economics and competition only work when those in power are honest.

[Xysea]

Yes and we've seen how well trusting them to do right by us has worked out so far...AIG, Lehman, golden parachutes, manicures. I suspect we'd lose coverage to pay for manicures.

And who would stop them? It would be trickling down to those manicurists, after all...

[AllAboutHealthPolicy]

Last night it all became clear.

Barack Obama said health care is a right.

John McCain said it is a responsibility.

[MourningDude]

I think you got that backwards. Obama said buying health care for your family is a responsibility, and if you neglect to do so he will fine you.

[Xysea]

And I think you have it wrong. McCain will not only raise our taxes on healthcare, but then he sends us out into the deregulated marketplace, to the wolves. It will be just as Senator Obama says - all insurance companies will set up shop in whatever states let them get away with the most.

If the Federal program is good enough for Senator McCain, and it has been all his life, then it's surely good enough for me.

[mandalaina]

You obviously don't have to worry about health care, or you wouldn't be repeating McCain's pablum.

I DO have to worry about it, and I can't afford McCain. I'm not wealthy like him.

[Taajq]

You should be mourning, since you are voting against your own best interest and against the American people. how sad...

[seriously29]

tom asked them directly: what do they consider health care to be, a right, responsibility, or a third option in which i don't remember. mccain chose responsibility and obamma chose right.

[8IZENUF]

Hilary threw around a plan about mandating companies to provide or fining them. Obama does not fine someone if they don't have it. Utah has a bill on the table being pushed by Huntsman, our Republican governor, that would force all small businesses with 50 or less employees to purchase a health care plan. They would purchase this through a sponsored coalition. Ran by a legislator who is also an insurance guy here. This does not help small businesses. Mandating companies to provide coverage, will put companies out of business and employees lose jobs.
Obama knows this. He has done his studies. He will help those without insurance buy coverage they can afford. He also knows that we need to find a way for all Americans to be covered so the costs come down. People who don't have coverage still get care, it's through the emergency rooms, when they are really ill. We need to start practicing preventative medicine, and treating people before the costs are too high. Obama has the right ideas to fix health care at the source, the profitable insurance companies.

[BassMent]

Yeah, and I can't wait until it's MY responsibility to shop insurance companies in all 50 states to try to find one that will give my family the coverage we have now for $5000. That will make me feel patriotic!

Never mind that I have a $5000 major medical deductible (my employer picks up half), and that even with that huge caveat, my annual insurance cost for four people (out-of-pocket + employer contribution) is $9000.

Maybe I could get the same coverage for $5000 in Alaska....

[Scarllatti]

Alaska? Unless you prefer the Moose Medical Insurance Package. Just ask one of them foxes Sarah Palin shot from a low-flying aircraft.

[BLinCincinnati]

If McCain wins you won't have to shop in 50 states... they'll all set up headquarters in one state that is willing to set whatever rules they want. Most likely they'll set up shop in some lower population, poorer, Republican controlled state where they can buy off the politicians to pass laws beneficial to them. Utah, Oklahoma, etc. Then you won't have a choice and they'll control everything.

[fussygorilla]

Exactly! It is 68 million, not 20 million. U.S. is the ONLY industrialized country in the world where 48 million have absolutely NO health inusrance coverage. Shame, shame, shame.

[seereene1]

The issue is not just health insurance it's HEALTH CARE! As long as insurance and insurance companies are involved between medical professionals and their patients we all will suffer. Trillions are lost within the insurance industry that have nothing to do with anyones health care. I say this as a former medical insurance underwriter. These companies are only interested in profit. Even those lucky enough to have employer paid insurance can still go bankrupt trying to pay for deductibles, co pays, and limits on coverage. Employers are being hijacked at gunpoint for ever rising premiums for less and less coveragee. INSURANCE needs to be removed from the equation of HEALTH CARE PERIOD!
Our system has also contributed to the collapse of the financial system since medical expenses is the single greatest factor in personal bankrupcties! Americans need to stop being so proud and take a look around the world at the way other industrialized countries manage their health care system and determine what we can learn from their sucess' and failures.

[LCRover001]

So we will get a 5k TAX CREDIT to replace our 12k coverage.

Insurance companies will be able to move their bases of operation to states that have regulation that favors them so they can cancel coverage when ever they deem they can no longer afford you, can refuse coverage for what ever they deem to be preexisting conditions, and can refuse you coverage so you will never be able to receive health insurance. Gee where do I sign up.

What McCain is proposing will result in those that have good coverage now to have bad coverage later and those who don't have coverage to maybe gain bad coverage. No mater how you cut it 5k health insurance is junk coverage, but that is the catch that is for a family plan singles only get 2.5K.

Mac's plan is a disaster in the waiting for all Americans.

Mac and his running mate talk about Obama’s plan putting a government person between you and your health provider well the government person isn't going to make money telling the doctor what they can and cant do like those of us that have insurance coverage now. Oh yea there are people already in place in the insurance industry who do that, the difference is they make their decisions based on how much it will cost the company and how much of a bonuses they can make by keeping those cost low not how much it will help you.

[MourningDude]

McCain's plan creates NO INCENTIVE for businesses to drop coverage, period.

The 20 million number is based on an analysis of implementing health insurance taxes in isolation, not based on McCain's plan, which offsets the vast, vast majority of those taxes.

Dems are mischaracterizing the study they cite for political purposes, and preying on the ignorance of the electorate in such matters, and they should be ashamed.

[LCRover001]

Taxing them for what they pay for the coverage in not an incentive to drop coverage.

No body is mischaracterizing any thing here. I see you didn't touch on that 5K is no where near enough to cover good health insurance or the BS out of state stuff Mac is trying to add on to this to help out his buddies in the industry.

I'm not attacking this for politics I'm attacking this because it will hurt my family.

I'm also not looking forward if Mac wins to having to also pay taxes on what I pay in addition to my employer in taxes on my health insurance.

You guys are for this and defending this junk for political purposes. Other wise you'd be screaming at the top of your lungs against it.

I don’t care whose plan it is I think it is junk. If Obama would have rolled this out you can bet your @$$ I’d be saying the same thing I just said.

[8IZENUF]

I sell health insurance and have worked on national accounts located in many states for large insurance companies. You better go do some more homework. It would be a national travesty to put McCain's plan in place. Employers would drop coverage, because they no longer have a tax break to incent them to provide it. Many would love to provide you with a small payout to buy your own. Your 125 cafeteria plan would more than likely be affected probably not offered, since the employer loves to deduct the premium through this mechanism. And we have not been able to get health care including HDHPs at $5,000/annual ever. If you have any preconditions, you can be denied including chronic colds, sinus, asthma symptoms, for taking certain medications, the list goes on. And because you are no longer part of a group, but now an individual seeking coverage, you just lost your large group discounts because insurance carriers give a better deal to larger entities. The larger the group, the better the deal, because the more the risk is predictable. Many states have mandates to ensure specific procedures are covered, that your dependents are covered. Are you ready to lose it all for $5,000 family credit that does not actually go to you????

[shinxy]

What do you call taxing employer health coverage except an incentive to drop coverage? Come on, you should know this, you Repugs are all about using free market mechanisms as a substitute for good governance.

[progressivepam]

And now his spokespeople are saying... no, no, no... we're not going to tax you (although that's the plan), we'll take it out of medicare! GREAT! MourningDude, there will be a whole lot more people in mourning with McCain's plan.

[Xysea]

The dirty details?

You are not guaranteed the full $5000. That is only if you pay at least $5000 in taxes. If you pay less than that, you don't get the $5000, you get a pro rata share. However, that doesn't mean the cost of your policy and premiums go down. The consumer will end up paying the lion's share.

For example, my policy is worth about $12000 annually. It's a PPO, pretty cheap policy with a $2500 family deductible, co-pays and monthly premiums. Under McCain, I will be taxed on that $12000 as if it were income.

Then, McCain will allegedly give me $5000. That means I am still going to have to come up with $7000 out of pocket - whereas now I only have to come up with about $3000 out of pocket. Another $4000 per year out of a thin pocket - PLUS additional taxes? Not to mention, it's a tax credit - what happens if you don't have $12000 to spend annually on healthcare UP FRONT?

It sounds like more 'trickle down' economics to me. Give my employer the large tax break (millions), give me a tiny pay up front scrap off the table and hope that my employer will use the money wisely and not on bonuses and their own salaries.

[CaptainVideo]

I would greatly prefer having a government buorocrat making decisions about my health care than a corporate beancounter making it. The corporate bean counter is much more likely to let me die to improve the bottom line.

[nycwerewolf]

If you care about our veterans and this country of ours...

...Don't vote for John McCain.

McCain voted against our troops MANY times in the senate.

John McCain voted AGAINST 20 million dollars for veteran care facilities.

John McCain voted AGAINST $322 million for safety equipment for our troops in Iraq.

John McCain voted AGAINST $1 billion dollars in new equipment for the National Guard.

John McCain voted AGAINST Jim Webb's G.I. Bill.

John McCain voted AGAINST $430 million for veterans outpatient care.

Barack voted FOR all of these troop support initiatives.

They deserve better than McCain.

We deserve better than McCain.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS AND VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT

Obama VS. McCain: Who Should You Vote For?
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/matthewhencke/gG5tH5

If You Are Thinking About Voting For John McCain/Sarah Palin...
...First Ask Yourselves These Questions:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/matthewhencke/gGxVK9

[Just2stressed]

This is powerful!!!

You know, I am pleased that Sen. Obama has been doing well. However, I have not, for one sec, said to myself, 'he's going to win this thing'. Instead, I keep hoping for the best. Hoping that his supporters will turn out and vote when he needs it most. When this country needs it most.

I am flabbergasted by the fact, that some of Sen. Obama's supporters are behaving as if this is a done deal. They are behaving as if it's Nov. 5, and it has been announced that the Dems. have won the election. People, we CAN NOT become complacent or over confident.

Sen. Obama did very well in the debates. But, remember, John Kerry & Al Gore also did well. Where did that take them?

We have 27 days to go, but, it will appear as a lifetime. The republicans have gotten dirty and it will get worst.

Though Sen. Obama seem to have everything in his favor, we should never forget that he has one important factor working against him. That is, the color of his skin.

Lets now get complacement but work hard and for those of you who pray, pray hard.

[rockyb26]

Great ad.

[MossyOak]

Only 20 million will lose their insurance?

What about the 48 million who already can't afford it or can't get it?

[CamJam]

We'd all be scrrrreeeewed under McCain's health care plan.

No doubt about it.

[Lagniappe]

You betcha,my friends!

[MourningDude]

You'd have a $5,000 down payment toward buying your own health insurance. It's surely better than being left in the lurch.

For those who can't get it, there should be a national umbrella fund to cap health care spending, both on a yearly, and on a lifetime basis.

Let's say $25,000 per year and $200,000 lifetime. That sort of coverage is relatively inexpensive to provide, and should be done regardless of who wins in November.

The greatest thing about McCain's plan is that it's revenue neutral. It doesn't tie our hands going forward. Where we need to offer more assistance, we will be able to, because we won't have already piled up hundreds of billions in new debt.

[DeniseD]

I live in CA where medical care is very expensive! I doubt that I would be able to find healthcare anywhere especially since I have chronic fatigue. No insurance company is going to cover me. Right now I have OK health insurance through my husband's employer. If I had a choice between John's plan or no plan, I would chose no plan any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

[CamJam]

No MAC's PLAN WILL NOT WORK. He can take his piddly 5 grand and stickit!

Currently, under my husband's employer's DISCOUNTED health care, we've paid out so far over 5,600 YTD for our family. In addition to this we've ALSO paid over $3,300 out of pocket for co-pays, prescriptions, and deductibles.

Fortunately where my husband is employed (a company with 55,000 employees) they cover pre-existing conditions as well. Our son's Autism would be considered a pre-existing condition.­. just like cancer.

Under Mac's plan, we could NOT afford it.. on top of that, like Obama said last night in the debate (again) :
" Now, Sen. McCain has a different kind of approach. He says that he's going to give you a $5,000 tax credit. What he doesn't tell you is that he is going to tax your employer-based health care benefits for the first time ever.

So what one hand giveth, the other hand taketh away. He would also strip away the ability of states to provide some of the regulations on insurance companies to make sure you're not excluded for pre-existing conditions or your mammograms are covered or your maternity is covered. And that is fundamentally the wrong way to go."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/07/presidential.debate.transcript/

If you missed it, here is a BLUEPRINT of Obama's Plan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBogqn2Z1Rw

[BlueDotInSeaOfRed]

You're joking, right?

[seereene1]

Get real! As a former medical insurance underwriter $200,000 lifetime will leave a ton of people in a lurch from the start. Every year we covered million dollar babies - preemies who rack up million dollar bills before they ever leave the hospital. In your view..that baby will not have any insurance coverage for the rest of their life. You need to do a little more research on the actual amounts people are charged for cancer, heart attacks, life long birth defects, etc. before considering lifetime limits.