Yesterday afternoon, Republican presidential hopeful John McCain addressed about 1,000 people during a town hall meeting at a contracting company in Pipersville, PA, 30 miles north of Philadelphia. After his introductory speech, the Arizona senator swiftly turned the microphone over to attendees, who asked questions for about an hour. Health care was one of the issues on their minds.
One woman talked of more autism research and education. Her nephew and her friend's child both have the mysterious condition. Therapists' fees for her friend's child have increased drastically over the last four years, she claimed.
McCain, who co-sponsored the Autism Awareness Act in 2006 and 2007, expressed "heartfelt sympathies for families who are cursed by this almost unexplainable affliction. We have to do everything to find the cause and cure. "
Another audience member, an unspecified health care provider, asked about the possibility of universal healthcare, a system touted by Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama and former Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. The woman expressed concern that some Americans would be paying for others' healthcare under that proposed program.
"I do not feel that we should be compelled by the federal government to pay for someone else's healthcare," she told McCain.
McCain said he supports a $5,000 refundable tax credit for families seeking insurance in another state, walk-in clinics, home health care and programs to curb obesity. He also spoke of GAPs (Government Approved Plans) where the government would "pool our assets....so we can provide health insurance to people who can't get it," according to the senator. More information on McCain’s health care plans can be found here.
The issue of health care is sure to come up again and again at future events for both McCain and Obama. If you could attend one of these meetings, what health care-related questions would you ask? What do you want to see addressed by the next administration?