American Morning
Health care bill could cost $829B, analysts say
WASHINGTON (CNN) - A compromise health care proposal widely seen as having the best chance to win Democratic and Republican support would cost $829 billion over the next 10 years, nonpartisan budget analysts concluded Wednesday.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/10/07/health.care/art.gop.senators.gi.jpg caption="From left: Sens. Michael Crapo, Jim Bunning, Jim DeMint and David Vitter discuss their resolution Wednesday."]
It also would reduce the federal deficit by more than $80 billion, according to a report from the Congressional Budget Office.
The review of the Senate Finance Committee's amended bill sets the stage for the next step in the politically charged debate over health care reform. Committee members have been waiting for the Budget Office's cost analysis before voting on their version of the bill.
The Finance Committee is the last of five congressional panels to consider health care legislation before debate begins in the full House and Senate.
The Budget Office's analysis differs slightly from Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' estimate. Baucus, a Montana Democrat, had said the revised bill would cost roughly $900 billion.
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If some of the 44,000 people who die each year due to lack of health insurance coverage decided to show the republicans the real downside of the 2nd Ammendment before they die I think there would be some actual empathy generated within the GOP. They'd feel the pain of others too. Too bad a gun is the only way to make the life and death point of this ongoing debate tangible to certain people.
CNN you reported gleefully that the bill was "budget nutural" but neglected to report the plan still intends to rip $500 billion from medicare and also raise taxes to help finance it. Other news outlets went into detail about where the money is to come from......you did not. Shame on you.
There is something seriously wrong with having people who receive millions of dollars in campaign donations from the insurance industry create a program designed to "rein in" insurance costs (and industry profits).
Chairman of the Finance Committee, Baucus has received millions from the industry in recent years, and Grassley (a member of the Finance Committee) has received at least a third of that amount. Several other members have received substantial amounts as well.
The insurance industry has been doing their usual top-flight job of instilling doubt and insecurity in the minds of the dimmest bulbs among the voters, while at the same time, showering friendly "News/Talk" show hosts and politicians with huge amounts of cash.
No wonder the "Public Option" that the majority of the voters want is getting little attention in Congress!
It's time to clean House... (and the Senate) of long-time incumbents that won't listened to us!
And so what! I would rather see government monies spent on Health Care and other programs which benefit the people of our nation than any war, any time, any place! Enough already. The Republicans need a BIG reality check!
The senate health care bill will not cover 25 million people, will not reduce the premiums for the people who currently have health insurance, and will allow people making up to $30,000 per year to receive medicaid. It will also give away 483 billion in subsidies to the health insurance companies.
A better solution would be to offer a state by state voluntary medicare option. If the 45 million uninsured were to pay a premium of $200. per month we would collect 108 billion a year which would pay for the entire program without raising taxes.
The medicare and medicaid programs need to have more fraud investigators, higher fines, and rewards for snitches and whistle blowers.