Jean Carnahan and Jan Polizzi joined health policy expert Peter Harbage to highlight a new report released today [1] by the Center for American Progress Action Fund that shows that Senator John McCain’s proposed health care plan would threaten the employer-based health benefits of 3.2 million people in Missouri and that as many as 400,000 Missourians could lose their health coverage.  These findings, confirmed by the Economic Policy Institute, were compounded by the fact that the McCain health care plan would amount to a tax increase for middle class families in Missouri, with the average family paying almost $540 more in taxes by 2013.  In Missouri, Sen. McCain’s plan would:­

•    Threaten the coverage of 3.2 million people in Missouri receive health benefits through work. The Economic Policy Institute projects 400,000 could lose their coverage. McCain’s plan eliminates the employer health care tax benefits that enable many businesses, especially small businesses, to provide group insurance to their employees.
•    Put at special risk coverage for the 1.1 million non-elderly people in Missouri struggling with diseases like cancer and diabetes who are now covered through their jobs. Under McCain’s plan, insurance companies would be free to “cherry pick” only those individuals for coverage who do not have costly health conditions and avoid state regulations that keep health care accessible and affordable.
•    Raise taxes on the health insurance benefits paid by millions of Missouri families. A typical Missouri family could pay almost $540 more in taxes by 2013 if McCain imposes both income and payroll taxes on their health coverage.

  That's not the change we need.