U.S. Health Reform and Senator John McCain
McCain's Town Hall Meeting in Oro Valley, Arizona
Sep 19, 2009
Oro Valley, Arizona, September 18 – The Health Care Reform Town Hall Meeting doors opened at high noon, and a laughable image of old west films and the irony of Senator John McCain’s self-proclaimed 2008 U.S. presidential campaign “maverick” label popped into the heads of those filing in.
Yes, the atmosphere was casual and cameras were allowed. Also, all questions were open mike and much of the pre-meeting chatter in the crowd was upbeat about what questions might make best use of the short 60 minute Town Hall meeting.
McCain began the Health Reform Town Hall on time to a full house of about 900 anxious voters and a few children, at 2 p.m. in the Oro Valley Nazarene Church. He opened with a short speech which sounded much like his article to the Arizona Daily Star, July 27, 2009, Reform I Will Continue to Fight For, about health care.
Health Care Worker's Plea for Preventative Care Provision
Hopes were high with the first citizen’s question, a former emergency room nurse. She spoke with authority and passion in her plea for Senator McCain’s voice on America’s behalf to help create a preventive care provision in the United State’s health care reform plan. Her idea for this provision would be specifically to stop the financial drain for uninsured using the emergency room as their primary care provider, costing taxpayers phenomenal amounts of money annually. She asked, “Why can’t the uninsured go even once a year to a doctor, get care and maintenance medications, so they aren’t so deadly sick so often in emergency rooms and such a financial drain?”
Instead of answering her, McCain turned the tables – asking her, “Do you agree with me that we are having a hard time getting qualified young people into this profession?”
Surprised, she hesitated, and answered that she had quit direct care nursing to make better money in administration. Then, she again tried to redirect back to her question.
McCain’s response was confusing: He referred to President Obama’s Health Care Speech, in that Obama's policy would not cover illegal immigrants, adding his comment that the current legislature has amendment after amendment coming out with the very idea of treating illegal immigrants.
But the nurse had asked about helping the uninsured, not about illegal immigrant care, and again tried to reiterate. McCain then referred to a stage poster saying, “One way I’d like to do that is to do a refundable tax credit, so people can go to any state to get care. “
$5,000 Tax Credit
McCain supports a $5,000 tax credit to citizens to choose the insurance they want.
A young man shared that he had a low income and no insurance, then asked “Why are we spending $5,000 tax credit, but the poorest Americans will still have problems because they don’t even pay taxes? How will your tax credit help them?”
Senator McCain said, “It helps because it keeps cost down. Everyone benefits.”
Risk Pools and Incentives
A small business owner said her health insurance rates had risen from about $1900 to about $4500 in 5 years. She asked about what leverage there is for the little guy, and the audience hushed to attention. She had stated a question many brought through the door.
“I totally agree,” McCain said, referring to an on-stage poster showing his support of risk pools for different conditions and tax incentives. However, he did not explain how those would work.
Public Option
Several times the question of public option was asked in various ways. McCain vehemently expressed that he only saw the public option as more government control. He equated the possibility for employers to see the public option as a way for them to drop private insurance choices. Then employees might have no choice, but be forced by the employer to take the cheaper public option of government insurance, because it saves money for the employer.
A few times, the questions strayed shortly onto other issues, such as: Washington, D.C. corruption, greenhouse gasses, the reconciliation process, the influence of the so-called White House czars, and ACORN. But these were short-lived.
Senate Finance Committee and Senator Baucus
Getting back on topic, a man asked, “Regarding Senator Max Baucus’ Health Care Bill unveiled earlier this week, how can we force people to get insurance? Don’t we have a constitutional right to be stupid enough to not get insurance?”
As murmurs of “Yeah!” and “Right on!” and even a few laughs rippled through the crowd, McCain answered, “That’s a legitimate question. I don’t think government has the right either!” A mix of applause and groans echoed through the room.
He said that he knows that Americans want Congress to save Medicare. He said that he has done bi-partisan talks, and that there has been no bi-partisan effort on this issue.
Senator Max Baucus is a member of the Senate Finance Committee. The committee consists of 3 Democrats and 3 Republicans negotiating his Health Bill, so how can this not be a bi-partisan effort?
What Health Benefit Really Awaits Americans?
The town hall meeting ended as if it were the scene in the movie, A Christmas Story, when Ralphie’s so shocked at Santa’s answer to his request for a Red Ryder BB Gun. Americans still can’t know what, if any, benefit will come of health care reform for any segment of the U.S. population when all is said and done.
Does a good surprise await U.S. Health Care Reform, like Ralphie’s Christmas Day? Time will tell.
For further reading, see Voters' Online Resources on U.S.Health Care Reform, and Capitol Visitor Center: Free Admission in Washington, D.C. also by Lynn Pritchett.
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