Republican John McCain's health care plan would tax employer-based health benefits as income and make it more difficult for individuals with cancer and other diseases to obtain coverage, Elizabeth Edwards said Tuesday at a news conference in Richmond.

"This is so much the wrong way to go," Edwards said at a state Capitol news conference organized by a coalition of labor unions.

Edwards, the wife of former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, is a senior fellow for the Center for American Progress Action Fund, a nonprofit group that analyzed McCain's plan.

McCain's plan would provide a refundable health insurance tax credit of $2,500 per individual or $5,000 per family and give consumers more options for purchasing insurance. An analysis by economists published last month in the journal Health Affairs concluded that McCain's plan would lead 20 million people to leave employer-sponsored insurance and 21 million people to gain coverage through the market.

Edwards, who has breast cancer, said McCain's plan would allow insurers to "cherry pick" individuals they want to cover under a less regulated system.

"Senator McCain and I both have cancer," Edwards said, referring to McCain's bouts with melanoma. "We also have something else in common -- neither one of us are likely to be covered under his health insurance policy."

Edwards did not comment on Democrat Barack Obama's health care plan, but a McCain spokeswoman disputed assertions that the McCain's proposal would result in a tax increase.

"It's a downright lie for the Obama campaign to say John McCain's health care plan taxes health care, when the McCain plan clearly provides an equivalent tax break for every American," said campaign spokeswoman Gail Gitcho.

Debate over debates continues in 5th District

Attempts to reschedule the lone televised 5th Congressional District debate between U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Rocky Mount, and his Democratic opponent, Tom Perriello, have fallen apart.

According to WVIR NBC 29 in Charlottesville, the station that planned to host the debate, Goode said he will not reschedule. However, he will accept a debate invitation from the American Legion in Danville instead. That debate will not be televised.

The WVIR debate, which was scheduled for Tuesday, was canceled. Goode said he had a scheduling conflict and never agreed to the date.

He originally told the station that he would work to reschedule, WVIR News Director Neal Bennett said.

Goode, who could not be reached for comment on the latest debate details, has said he will debate Perriello one more time, tentatively scheduled for Oct. 28 and to be hosted by the American Legion, said Jessica Barba, communications director for the Perriello campaign.

There is still no official word on whether Goode will participate in another debate held every election cycle at Hampden-Sydney College, Barba said. A specific date for that potential debate was not available Tuesday.

mike.sluss@roanoke.com 804-697-1585 janelle.rucker@roanoke.com 981-3159