Sen. John McCain to Miss Week in Senate After Having Surgery

Getty Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) leaves a meeting where a new version of a GOP healthcare bill was unveiled to Republican senators at the U.S. Capitol July 13.

Members of Senate will reportedly delay a vote on the Republican health-care bill that was set for this coming week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Saturday.

The delay is because Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona had surgery July 14 to remove a blood clot above his eye, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix said in a statement. He’s expected to miss the next week in Senate while he recovers.

Following a routine annual physical, Sen. John McCain underwent a procedure to remove a blood clot from above his left eye on Friday, July 14 at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix. Surgeons successfully removed the 5-cm blood clot during a minimally invasive craniotomy with an eyebrow incision. Tissue pathology reports are pending within the next several days.

McCain, 80, is “resting comfortably at home and is in good condition,” the statement went on to say.

Following the surgery, McCain sang the Mayo Clinic’s praises for the “excellent treatment” he received at the hospital.

“(Sen. McCain) appreciates the tremendous professionalism and care by its doctors and staff,” McCain’s office said in a statement released July 15. “He is in good spirits and recovering comfortably at home with his family. On the advice of his doctors, Senator McCain will be recovering in Arizona next week.”

McCain addressed age and health concerns back in 2005, saying that his health was “excellent” at the time. In 2000, he was treated for melanoma and that left a noticeable mark on his face.

There have been additional concerns about McCain’s health recently. When former F.B.I. Director James Comey testified in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee in June, many questioned the senator’s condition for sounding and looking sluggish and confused when he asked a question. He later blamed the way he acted on staying up late to watch his Arizona Diamondbacks play.

According to AZCentral, McCain wasn’t pleased with the latest revision of the health-care bill. He thought that it didn’t properly deal with Arizona’s Medicaid system, as it would be faced with the loss of $7.1 billion by the end of 2026.

“Arizona has been nationally recognized for running one of the most efficient and cost-effective Medicaid programs in the country,” McCain said in a statement. “This legislation should reward states like Arizona that are responsibly managing their health-care services and controlling costs — not penalize them.”

McCain’s absence from the Senate floor means that McConnell and Republicans must further delay a vote on the controversial health-care bill that it had been trying for over two months to pass.

McConnell said in a statement that the Senate “will continue (their) work on legislative items and nominations and will defer consideration of the Better Care Act.”

With 52 Republicans sitting in the house, McConnell can’t afford to lose more than two GOP votes in order for the bill to pass. That’s because Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Main previously said they would oppose the bill when it is up for vote.

“As far as I can tell, the new bill is the same as the old bill,” Paul said during a conference call with reporters July 12. “I can’t support it.”

A previous version of the health-care bill was pulled from the floor of the House of Representatives in March after it failed to gain enough votes to advance. A revised version of the bill passed through the House in May.