Obama says McCain health plan could cut Medicare, Medicaid (LAT)

Obama says McCain health plan could cut Medicare, Medicaid
John McCain's plan for financing healthcare could cost the programs billions, Barack Obama says. Obama continues economic theme as McCain focuses campaign on Florida, Virginia and North Carolina.
By Seema Mehta and Johanna Neuman Times Staff Writers
October 18, 2008

ROANOKE, Va. -- Democrat Barack Obama today criticized Republican John McCain's healthcare plan, saying that if enacted it could lead to $882 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

In a TV ad called "It Gets Worse," to air in key battleground states, the Obama campaign cites a Wall Street Journal report that McCain would finance his healthcare plan in part with "major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid." The ad concludes, "John McCain, taxing health benefits, cutting Medicare. We can't afford John McCain."

And in a speech here today, Obama continued the theme, hammering on McCain for proposing cuts in healthcare when many American face economic hardships.

"Sen. McCain has been eager to share some details of his healthcare plan -- but not all," he said. "Like those ads for prescription drugs, you have to read the fine print to learn the full story. First, we found out that he wants to pay for his plan by taxing your healthcare benefits for the first time in history, just like George Bush. That was bad enough. But the Wall Street Journal recently reported that it's actually worse than we thought. It turns out, Sen. McCain would pay for part of his plan by making drastic cuts in Medicare -- $882 billion worth."

The result, Obama said: "If you count on Medicare, it would mean fewer places to get care, and less freedom to choose your own doctors. You'll pay more for your drugs, receiver fewer services and get lower-quality care."

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http://www.latimes.com/news/la-na-campaign18-2008oct18,0,660912.story?track=rss