LEAD ON, McCAIN:

Senate debate on health care bill opens with heated rhetoric (CNN, 11/30/09)

Sen. John McCain of Arizona called it a "sham" and a "2,074-page monstrosity full of measures that would impair the abilities, particularly of our senior citizens, to keep the benefits they've been promised."

McCain immediately proposed sending the bill back to committee to remove all provisions intended to bring down the costs of Medicare. He cited proposed cuts to Medicare, including $118 billion in subsidies provided to private insurers for Medicare Advantage -- an enhanced benefits program for senior citizens.

"There is no math, old or new, that gets you to no change in the benefits they have under Medicare Advantage and yet cuts $120 billion," McCain said. A vote on McCain's proposal was likely on Tuesday.