Missouri Issue Alert

Missouri Issue Alert
*Internal Campaign Memo

The Obama-Biden campaign continues to lie to the American people about John McCain's health care plan. Their claims have failed every fact-check from CBS[1] to the Washington Post.[2] John McCain is not going to raise taxes on middle class families. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the only candidates in this race that plan to raise taxes.


THE REAL FACTS

The McCain plan transforms the current tax code to provide all American families - including the self-employed and the uninsured - the same tax benefit, a $5,000 refundable tax credit ($2,500 for individuals) that was previously only available to those with employer coverage. Families can use this credit to purchase insurance of their choice, including keeping their current coverage.

John McCain believes that no American should be denied access to quality and affordable coverage simply because of a pre-existing condition. As President, John McCain will work with governors to develop a best practice model that states can follow - a Guaranteed Access Plan or GAP - that would reflect the best experience of the states to ensure these patients have access to health coverage. There would be reasonable limits on premiums, and assistance would be available for Americans below a certain income level.

John McCain also believes that American families should be given the choice to pu rchase their health care policies across state lines. A recent study shows that simply allowing Americans to purchase health care plans across state lines would reduce the number of uninsured by almost 12 million.


HOW THE MCCAIN PLAN BENEFITS YOU

Better Than "Members of Congress": Under the McCain Plan, your employer can provide you with health insurance as good as a "Member of Congress", and you would pay no more in taxes - regardless of your tax bracket. In fact, you would have some additional money left over from the McCain tax credit to put in a health savings account.

View the chart below to see what your tax savings would be.

Income Tax Liability
McCain Tax Credit
Total Tax Savings


10% Bracket
(Up to $ 15,650)
$1,200 ($12,000 * 10%)
$5,000
+ $3,800

15% Bracket
($15,650 - 63,700)
$1,800 ($12,000 * 15%)
$5,000
+ $3,200

25% Bracket
($63,700 - 128,500)
$3,000 ($12,000 * 25%)
$5,000
+ $2,000

28% Bracket
($128,500 - 195,850)
$3,360 ($12,000 * 28%)
$5,000
+ $1,640

33% Bracket
($195,850 - 349,700)
$3,960 ($12,000 * 33%)
$5,000
+ $1,040

35% Bracket
($349,700 and over)
$4,200 ($12,000 * 35%)
$5,000
+ $800




THE TRUTH ABOUT THE OBAMA HEALTH CARE PLAN

Barack Obama's Plan Continues The Push Toward Government-Run Healthcare: The Obama plan will create a brand new government-run health plan at the cost of $243 billion a year - a financial burden of more than $3,000 a year on American families.[3]
Barack Obama's Plan Will Harm Employer Coverage: The Obama plan includes a $179 billion a year employer mandate.[4] The mandate requires employers to either provide "meaningful" coverage or pay a tax towards the government plan.[5] Faced with tough economic conditions and rising health costs this creates a clear incentive for employers to drop coverage and move families into the new government plan. A Lewin Group study which examined a similar employer mandate combined with a national plan, like the Obama plan, concluded that almost 52 million individuals would lose their pri vate employer coverage.[6] To maintain their competitive edge, others employers will follow - spelling the demise of the employer coverage system.
Barack Obama's Plan Will Damage Private Coverage: The government-run plan will have a clear advantage over private insurance since it will be subsidized by American taxpayers. A recent analysis of both plans by the nonpartisan CATO Institute concluded that the Obama government-run plan will be able to "keep its premiums artificially low... since it can turn to the U.S. Treasury to cover any shortfalls" resulting in "undercutting the private market."[7] According to Wall Street Journal, the goal of the Obama plan "...like HillaryCare in the 1990s, is to displace current private coverage and switch people to the default government option."[8]


[1] CBS, CBS E vening News, "The Truth About McCain and Insurance Taxes," 9/15/08
[2] The Washington Post Website, http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fac...idens_tax.html, Accessed 10/3/08
[3] Roger Feldman et al. "Impact of Barack Obama 2008 Health Reform Proposal," HSI Network, LLC., 8/21/08
[4] Roger Feldman et al. "Impact of Barack Obama 2008 Health Reform Proposal," HSI Network, LLC., 8/21/08
[5] http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issue...reFullPlan.pdf, Accessed 10/3/08
[6] http://www.sharedprosperity.org/hcfa/lewin.pdf, Accessed 10/3/08
[7] Michael Tanner, "A Fork in the Road: Obama, McCain, and Health Care," CATO Institute, 7/29/08
[8]"Obama's Health-Care Tipoff," The Wall Stre et Journal, 8/21/2008










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