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John McCain has been hailed as a hero after he left hospital to block the partial repeal of Obamacare, potentially protecting health insurance for millions of Americans and dealing a dramatic blow to Donald Trump.

The former Presidential candidate was diagnosed with brain cancer last week, but returned to the Senate last night to vote against a 'skinny repeal' amendment that would have stripped the Affordable Care Act of some of its core features.

At the end of a tense session of the Senate, which ran long into the night, the Arizona Senator approached the clerks' desk and cast the deciding vote, loudly saying "no".

There were gasps and applause from Democrats in the chamber, who had been unsure about whether he would go through with the rebellion, as he dealt the humiliating blow to the President.

Repealing Obamacare was one of Trump's key election promises, but six months into his presidency he has failed to put together a plan that could gather enough support in Congress.

(Image: Getty Images North America) (Image: Getty)

The non-political Congressional Budget Office found the latest plot to scrap the bill, known as the Health Care Freedom Act, would mean 16 million Americans could lose their health insurance by 2026.

The move was defeated by just one vote, after McCain and two other Republican senators rebelled against their party to kill the amendment.

Also voting against was Senator Lisa Murkowski, whose arm had been strongly twisted by party whips and the president himself, who laid thinly veiled threats of punishment for opposing his plan.

The other rogue senator was Maine's moderate Republican Susan Collins.

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: REUTERS)

In the moments leading up to the vote, which took place at around 1.30am Washington DC time, McCain left the Senate floor, apparently for the 'Cloakroom' - an anteroom off the main chamber - to take a phone call.

He returned to the chamber, walked up to the front of the chamber, where Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stood, arms folded, waiting for his decision.

He'd already been seen deep in talks with Vice President Mike Pence, who chairs the Senate, during the marathon session of congress.

McCain reached out his arm towards the bench to indicate he was ready to vote, before pointing to the floor and saying no.

He paused for a moment and shared a look with McConnell as gasps rang out in the chamber, before quietly returning to his seat.

(Image: Getty Images North America)

A large scar was still visible above the Arizona senator's left eye, from surgery performed to remove a blood clot last week.

Just days ago, Donald Trump declared McCain an "American hero" for returning to the Senate to vote on healthcare.

McCain later issued a statement saying the proposed amendment would not have amounted to a meaningful 'repeal and replace' of the Affordable Care Act.

He said: “While the amendment would have repealed some of Obamacare’s most burdensome regulations, it offered no replacement to actually reform our health care system and deliver affordable, quality health care to our citizens.”

He said one of the failures of Obamacare was that it was “rammed through” congress without a single Republican vote, and warned against Republicans making the same mistake with its repeal.

Tweeting shortly after the vote, President Trump threatened to allow the system which provides healthcare to tens of millions of Americans fail.

He said: “3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down. As I said from the beginning, let Obamacare implode then deal. Watch!”