Op-Ed Contributor - The Real Arithmetic of Health Care Reform - NYTimes.com
Op-Ed Contributor - The Real Arithmetic of Health Care Reform - NYTimes.com: "The Real Arithmetic of Health Care Reform
By DOUGLAS HOLTZ-EAKIN
Published: March 20, 2010
Arlington, Va.
Times Topics: Health Care Reform
ON Thursday, the Congressional Budget Office reported that, if enacted, the latest health care reform legislation would, over the next 10 years, cost about $950 billion, but because it would raise some revenues and lower some costs, it would also lower federal deficits by $138 billion. In other words, a bill that would set up two new entitlement spending programs — health insurance subsidies and long-term health care benefits — would actually improve the nation’s bottom line.
Could this really be true? How can the budget office give a green light to a bill that commits the federal government to spending nearly $1 trillion more over the next 10 years?
The answer, unfortunately, is that the budget office is required to take written legislation at face value and not second-guess the plausibility of what it is handed. So fantasy in, fantasy out.
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By DOUGLAS HOLTZ-EAKIN
Published: March 20, 2010
Arlington, Va.
Times Topics: Health Care Reform
ON Thursday, the Congressional Budget Office reported that, if enacted, the latest health care reform legislation would, over the next 10 years, cost about $950 billion, but because it would raise some revenues and lower some costs, it would also lower federal deficits by $138 billion. In other words, a bill that would set up two new entitlement spending programs — health insurance subsidies and long-term health care benefits — would actually improve the nation’s bottom line.
Could this really be true? How can the budget office give a green light to a bill that commits the federal government to spending nearly $1 trillion more over the next 10 years?
The answer, unfortunately, is that the budget office is required to take written legislation at face value and not second-guess the plausibility of what it is handed. So fantasy in, fantasy out.
more
posted by Phil Smith at
1:45 PM
2 Comments:
think about the amount of money unpaid medical bills sums every year... factor in the raising cost of health care. thanks to tax payers hospitals still operate. but now every joe plumber and secretary suzy have the chance to pay the own bills legit. i work in a hospital that i was told carries a 30% unpaid bills... any help the feds can get in covering this cost without using my taxes i'm all for
Unfortunately, the new taxes that we are all going to have to pay are going to far out weigh the benefits.
The reform doesn't get the to reason for the cost only the symptoms.
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