Protesters to McCain: Don't Tax Our Healthcare Benefits
|
|
At 17th Ave. and High St., along the route of the McCain tour bus, about two dozen AFL-CIO, SEIU, and the Alliance of Retired Americans members and Cancer Survivors held signs that read "McCain, Don't Tax Our Healthcare Benefits," and "Leave Our Benefits Alone."
Senator McCain's Health Care proposal would make many cancer patients and retirees uninsurable. "Senator McCain's health plan, like his position on Social Security, is a disgrace because we are left to the unknowns of the free market insurance industry," said Norm Wernet of the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans.
McCain's record on cancer legislation:
McCain Opposed Allocating Additional Medicare Funds For Cancer, Heart Disease, and Alzheimer Patients. In 2003, McCain voted to table an amendment that would have allocated $12 billion for additional treatment for Medicare beneficiaries with cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and disabilities. The motion to table passed 57-41. [S. 1, Vote #253, 6/26/03] McCain Voted Against Ensuring Drug Coverage for Cancer Patients. In 2003, McCain voted against an amendment that would prevent any loss of drug coverage for beneficiaries with cancer before catastrophic care begins. The motion to table the amendment passed 54-44. [S1, Vote #250, 6/26/03]
McCain Voted Against Allowing Women And Their Doctors To Determine The Appropriate Length Of A Hospital Stay For the Treatment Of Breast Cancer. In 1999, McCain voted against an amendment that would allow women in group health plans to designate an obstetrician/gynecologist as their primary care physician, and to determine, with their physicians, using “generally accepted medical standards,” the “appropriate” length of a hospital stay following a mastectomy, lumpectomy or lymph node dissection for the treatment of breast cancer. The amendment failed 48-52. [S 1344, Vote #198, 7/13/99]
McCain Voted Against $214 Million For Breast Cancer At The National Cancer Institute. In 1992, McCain voted against waiving the budget act on an amendment to transfer $214 million from the Defense Department's research account to the National Cancer Institute for breast cancer research. The motion was rejected 43-53. [HR 5677, Vote #211, 9/17/92]
McCain Failed To Vote To Cover Veterans Suffering From Cancer As A Result Of Radiation From The Atomic Bombs Dropped In Japan. In 1999, McCain failed to vote for an amendment that would express the sense of the Senate that lung cancer, colon cancer and brain and central nervous system cancer, afflictions developed by some “atomic” veterans who were exposed to radiation at Hiroshima, Nagasaki and nuclear test sites, should be added to the list of radiogenic diseases that are presumed by the Veterans Affairs Department to be service-connected disabilities. Amendment passed 76-18. [HR 2684, Vote #292, 9/24/99]
