Leading Seniors Groups Strongly Oppose McCain Medicare Hail Mary

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) says that health care reform will spell bad news for America's seniors and has introduced an amendment to recommit the entire health care bill to the Finance Committee and have it stripped of all its Medicare fixes.

And for his efforts, two of the largest senior citizens organizations in the country are saying thanks, but no thanks.

"[W]e oppose the amendment offered by Senator McCain to recommitt [Senate health care legislation] to the Senate Finance Committee," reads a letter from AARP to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

CEO Addison Barry Rand says "the legislation does not reduce any guaranteed Medicare benefits."

Similarly a letter from the Alliance for Retired Americans to members of the Senate reads, "The Alliance for Retired Americans, on behalf of its nearly four million members throughout the nation, opposes the motion by Senator John McCain to commit the Patient Protection and Affordable Care America Act, H.R. 3590, to the Finance Committee. We urge its prompt defeat by the Senate."

"The legislation does not cut Medicare benefits," the letter reads. "With the expected rising costs of Medicare, the legislation slows the rate of the program's growth without reducing benefits. The McCain motion would actually undercut fiscally responsible attempts to meet the challenges of providing health care for older Americans."

McCain insists his amendment is meant to protect America's seniors, and not kill the bill. America's seniors groups seem to disagree. As I noted before, though, there's currently some doubt as to whether the McCain bid will ever receive a vote.

You can read the letters here.