Sick
for Profit! Check out new video-shorts from Brave New Films
about United Health, Cigna & other insurance companies profiteering
at the expense of people's lives!
Latest survey shows majority
still wants reform, but those opposed have increased due to
fear and confusion.
Who'd a thunk it? President
Nixon and President Obama have health care reform in common.
Another reason we need national
reform: bad state policy is creating more uninsured! Tony
Garr's SSI/Daniels testimony to the TennCare Oversight Committee
CBO Scores Confirms
Deficit Neutrality of Health Reform Bill
July 20, 2009
The Congressional Budget Office
(CBO) released estimates confirming for the first time that H.R.
3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act, is deficit neutral
over the 10-year budget window - and even produces a $6 billion
surplus. CBO estimated more than $550 billion in gross Medicare
and Medicaid savings. More importantly, the bill includes a comprehensive
array of delivery reforms to set the stage for lowering the future
growth in health care costs.
Net Medicare and Medicaid
savings of $465 billion, coupled with the $583 billion revenue package
reported today by the House Committee on Ways and Means, fully finance
the previously estimated $1.042 trillion cost of reform, which will
provide affordable health care coverage for 97% of Americans.
The estimates also cover important reinvestments in Medicare and
Medicaid, including phasing in the closing of the "donut"
hole in the Medicare drug benefit. The bill's long-term reform of
Medicare's physician fee schedule to eliminate the potential 21
percent cut in fees, and put payments on a sustainable basis for
the future, will cost about $245 billion. Those costs, however,
are not included in the net calculations above, as they will be
absorbed under the upcoming statutory "pay go" legislation
that is pending in the House.
What's an exchange?
Public plan choice? A mandate? Why are affordability and comprehensive
benefits important? Visit our Resource
section to learn about these and other elements of national
health care reform.
