Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) responded Tuesday afternoon to conservatives’ concerns that comprehensive immigration reform could make millions of newly legal residents eligible for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act and balloon its cost.
“I know that the most expensive part of health care in America today is emergency room care,” McCain said in the Capitol, in response to a question from TPM. “The fewer people that have to go to the emergency and can get regular care, the less the cost is. That is a proven fact.”
In other words, McCain suggested that providing insurance to currently uninsured individuals will save the government money by forcing them to buy into the system and minimize their need to resort to emergency room care.
