Senator John McCain’s top domestic policy adviser, former Congressional Budget Office director Douglas J. Holtz-Eakin, recently said in a conference call with reporters that Mr. McCain’s health care proposal would “put 25 to 30 million individuals out of the ranks of the uninsured, into the ranks of the insured.” In an article released Tuesday, a panel of prominent health economists concludes that Mr. Holtz-Eakin’s projection is off by, well, 25 to 30 million.NOTE from Jacki: I try not to weigh in too often on work-related stuff, but you have to know what we're talking about with McCain's health care plan. If you get your health insurance through work, you can kiss that good-bye. See, McCain will tax your benefits as if they were salary. So you will see more money come out of your paycheck with no additional salary to compensate for that loss. Then, employers will be inclined to drop coverage because they won't see the point in offering it when you can get it elsewhere and there is no longer a tax break attached to it. You will lose the benefit of employer-negotiated and monitored group plans. G-d forbid you have a medical history - any medical history - good luck getting affordable coverage (if you can get decent coverage at all) in the individual market. McCain wants to give you a tax credit that won't cover the average plan and won't keep up with the rising costs of care. Oh, and that buying across state lines thing - bad for you, great for the insurance industry. They get to set up shop in states with the least regulation.
Ezra Klein and Jonathan Cohn both have excellent pieces out today. If Sarah Palin doesn't scare the sh*t out of you, McCain's health care plan will.
