Issues
Barack Obama
John McCain
Under Senator Obama’s proposal, people with employer-provided plans will continue under those plans with new measures in place to lower premiums and ensure standards for the quality of coverage.
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Under Senator McCain’s proposal, people with employer-provided plans will be shifted out of those plans and into buying their own health care coverage for themselves or their family.
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Sponsored and passed legislation to improve nurse staffing levels, increase finding for nursing scholarships, and co-sponsored the Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act to limit mandatory overtime hours.
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Requires insurers to cover the cost of preventive care. Makes access to preventative care more accessible.
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Healthcare plan could discourage use of preventive services by promoting Health Savings Accounts that are typically paired with high-deductible policies (meaning that routine procedures and care would need to be paid for out-of-pocket). Plan would change Medicare to compensate providers for prevention services.
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Voted in U.S. Senate to expand health coverage to nearly 4 million more uninsured children (SCHIP), and supported the KidCare program as a state senator in Illinois. Plan requires every child in America to be covered and provides new plan options that guarantee affordability for all, allows young adults to remain on their parents’ plans up to age 25.
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Voted against expanding health coverage to nearly 4 million more uninsured children (SCHIP) last year, has voted to restrict health insurance for low-income children and pregnant women six times since 1997, and in 1998 introduced a bill to increase accessibility of Medicare for children.
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Record of voting to cut or restrict Medicaid. Has opposed more funding for home health care and assistance to seniors for long-term care needs.
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Voted last year for allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices for seniors, and allowing the importation of more affordable prescription drugs.
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Was absent for key votes on allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices and the importation of more affordable prescription drugs, voted 27 times against measures to improve or protect Medicare prescription drug benefits, voted for legislation on re-importation of prescription drugs, and voted against reducing prescription drug premiums for Medicare recipients.
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Supported discounts on prescription drugs and extensions on the Medicare sign-up period.
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Supported improving care in veterans’ hospitals by requiring regular reports on the quality of healthcare in facilities.
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Voted at least 23 times against funding for veterans’ health care. Supported improving outreach to veterans who may be eligible for health care.
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Has supported legislation to improve the health of women (e.g. fighting breast and cervical cancer and promoting healthy pregnancy).
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Mixed voting record. Voted against legislation aimed at improving coverage for breast cancer patients and increasing access to OB-GYN care. Co-sponsored a bill funding breast cancer research.
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