Having traveled to Denver last month to meet with key decision-makers in Congress, it’s clear to me that our stake in the presidential election this fall is especially high. We need to be as informed as possible this election – so we can make the right decisions for our families, our patients, and our profession.

Healthcare United has compiled the candidates’ plans and their voting records on healthcare. We’ve found, as you can imagine, that Barack Obama and John McCain have different records on health care – and very different plans for the future of the system.

Our comparison chart covers the candidates’ voting records on key healthcare issues, showing the types of legislation that they’ve sponsored and how they’ve voted on issues like staffing and professional development, healthcare for children, system and prescription drug costs, women’s health, healthcare for seniors and people with disabilities, healthcare for low-income families, and veterans’ health care. 

For example, here’s our comparison on “Healthcare for Children”: http://healthcareunited.org/index.php/candidates/issues/healthcare_for_children/

Obama:
•    Voted for legislation last year to expand health coverage to nearly 4 million more uninsured children through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). [H.R. 976, Vote #307, 8/2/07]
•    As a state senator in Illinois, supported the KidCare program that covers children of low-income families. [Public Act 93-0063, 6/30/03; The State-Journal Register, 10/29/2004]

McCain:
•    Voted against legislation last year to expand health coverage to nearly 4 million more uninsured children through the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Advocated for President Bush’s veto of the legislation. [H.R. 976, Vote #307, 8/2/07; CNN, 10/17/2007]
•    Since 1997, voted six times to reduce or restrict health insurance coverage for low-income children and pregnant women. [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]
•    In 1998, introduced a bill to increase the accessibility of Medicaid for children [S. 2382, 7/30/98] and in 2001 co-sponsored legislation to give states the option to cover certain legal immigrants under SCHIP. [S. 582, 3/21/01]

We’ve also conducted an analysis of the candidates’ healthcare proposals and position statements: http://www.healthcareunited.org/candidates/issues/overall_healthcare_plan/

For example, here’s both Obama and McCain’s plans on pre-existing medical conditions:

Q. What about people with pre-existing medical conditions or who become sick or high-risk?

BARACK OBAMA
•    Will stop all insurers from using pre-existing conditions as a reason for denying enrollment, dropping coverage, or charging higher premiums.  Also will limit insurers’ ability to drop coverage when someone gets sick or becomes high-risk.
 
JOHN McCAIN
•    No changes proposed to stop insurance company discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions or who become sick or high-risk. Will allow insurance companies to base their operations from a state with very few or no consumer protections and sell their policies nationwide.

Take a look here, and let us know what you think by leaving a comment on this blog post!

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