John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.What Obama said at the rally via the Swamp:
The Republican presidential nominee has said little about the proposed cuts, but they are needed to keep his health-care plan "budget neutral," as he has promised. The McCain campaign hasn't given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn't dispute the analysts' estimate.
In the months since Sen. McCain introduced his health plan, statements made by his campaign have implied that the new tax credits he is proposing to help Americans buy health insurance would be paid for with other tax increases.
But Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Sen. McCain's senior policy adviser, said Sunday that the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid. Those government health-care programs serve seniors, poor families and the disabled. Medicare spending for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30 is estimated at $457.5 billion.
Citing a recent Wall Street Journal story, the Illinois Democrat charged that Sen. John McCain would make $882 billion in Medicare cuts to "pay for an ill-conceived, badly thought-through health care plan that won't provide more health care to people, even though Medicare is already facing a looming shortfall."
Appearing in front of a crowd estimated at about 8,000 at the Roanoke Convention Center, Obama suggested cuts of "more than 20 percent" were possible by next year under the McCain plan.
"If you count on Medicare, it would mean fewer places to get care, and less freedom to choose your own doctors," he said. "You'll pay more for your drugs, you'll receive fewer services, you'll get lower quality care."
Obama said McCain has "voted against protecting Medicare 40 times" during his 26-year tenure in Congress.
What the McCain camp said in response:
McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds responded that Obama was "lying" in a statement issued by the Republican campaign.I love that last line, which is supposed to make us pee our pants or something.
"Unlike Barack Obama' risky plan, John McCain's plans for health care do not punish struggling businesses with fines and taxes, and they certainly do not cut a single benefit for Medicare or Medicaid," he said. "For Barack Obama to talk about the hope of America and then proceed into misleading and hypocritical accusations only underscores what voters already know: Barack Obama is not who you think he is."
Here's the video of Obama speaking about this at the rally:
