WASHINGTON (CNN) – A preliminary estimate from the Congressional Budget Office projects that the House Democrats' health care plan that includes a public option would cost $871 billion over 10 years, according to two Democratic sources.
CBO also found that the Democrats' bill reduces the deficit in the first 10 years.
This new CBO estimate, which aides caution is not final, is significantly less than the $1.1 trillion price tag of the original House bill that passed out of three committees this summer. More importantly, it comes under the $900 billion cap set by President Obama in his joint address to Congress last month.
CBO analyzed what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls a "more robust" public option - one that ties reimbursement rates for doctors to current Medicare rates, plus a 5 percent increase.
From CNN Politics
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help
estimates are just that, estimates. when it comes to the goverment, unless we can get the jokers who pass these bills with these price tags to sign a document that states they will make up the difference if the project goes over budget, the estimate means nothing.
So much for any rational reason to oppose health insurance. The GOP just hates women, minorities, and poor people and wants to punish them by withholding health care.
CNN, are you serious. The first headline says "Republicans in trouble". Really, is that why most are saying they are about to take back the house? Then the next article says Public option will reduce deficit? Everyday you hit new lows. You mught as well go out and Hire Maddow and Olberman. You are officially a mouthpiece for the Obama admin. Did you see the interview with Dunn when she said "we own the media" we tell them what to broadcast. SHe must have given you a call lastnight.
Reforming Health care is one thing, but how many earmarks did Reid , Pelosi, Dodd and Backus place in the bill to get what they want?
Only 8 billion Nancy then why don't you and Obama pay for it. He earned half of it in campaign contributions. Since the American people payed to put this guy in office why not give the money back by putting into health care, then you wouldn't have to worry about another stimulus.
It's good to see the bill get reasonable $$$ figures.
Too bad a few of the Republicans didn't agree with the Democrats on the bill and are not striving to get everything within respectable terms.
The concern and effort now should be focused on "good coverage", "timeliness within the medical industry" and "cost controls on the system plus premiums".
Keep Up The Good Work and Make It Happen!
And clouds are made of cotton candy! What a load of bull.
Imagine that! Right after Obama strong arms the CBO chief he changes his mind 180 degrees. I can't IMAGINE how that happened!!! Any person in their right mind knows that this healthcare bill is going to cost the American taxpayer triple even quadruple the projected costs. You can kiss the economy goodbye if the Dems ram this down the throat of the American people with their FAKE polls and propaganda. This is a travesty and the Democrats are going pay heavily in the coming elections. You can lie all day long CNN but the American people are not stupid.
This is another sign that we need to have the public option in a health care and insurance reform package. I don't care if it is there from the start or attached as a trigger, it should be there. Who knows if all employers will stop having health insurance as benefit at some point, it needs to be there for those that don't have now and in the future.
Wait for it.... GOP drones = CBO lies... that can't be trusted...
Unless the CBO is saying something they agree with.
Of course it would. It puts the profits of the insurance companies back in our pockets. Duh.
Way to go. Now get er done.
Folks,
If you believe any Health Bill will reduce the Deficit, about 12 trillion dollars now, I have some Prime Waterfront Property Cheap, I want to sell you. A Bridge in Brooklen too.
Notice how the CBO score is "not final". Once the democrats hammer out a final bill, we can all be sure it will raise the deficit. Democrats are finding as many ways as they can to spend money we don't have that will leave our children to pay for it years down the road. Lets all just slow down and find a plan that can insure our fellow Americans without raising the deficit and without the public option. The last thing we need is more government in our lives telling us how it's going to be.
Anything that Pelosi says and does is suspect. She is a known criminal, a liar and cannot be trusted.
The title of this piece, "CBO finds Dem bill with public option reduces deficit", is a bit deceitful. The bill does not "reduce" the deficit, it adds to it, just not as much as previous incarnations in the first three years due to cost offsets to later years.
In a way this reminds me what has happened in California with its budgets. The Legislature would add spending to the budget, and then cut out some of the spending to say they "reduced" the budget. The net result was a smaller increase in spending, but it was still an spending increase, not a reduction in spending as they hoped would be inferred by the masses. It's a bit like increasing the price of an item before slightly decreasing it and calling it a "sale."
I cant believe the focus on this heath care plan, when Government should be trimming back Gov spending...Federal jobs and spending take away from our economy and does not create a profit for our economy to grow...
So lets cut spending,taxing and let the people of this country create jobs and benefits so the security of jobs exist, without our federal government
taxation and socializing this great land of ours...
Jim
Well that's because the coverage doesn't start for 5-7 years, but the taxation starts immediately. After it gets going we all know what will happen, there won't be enough money saved and there will be more taxes. This doesn't include the 247 billion for Medicare doctors that is separate and will increase the deficit. More Fuzzy math from Democrats. Too bad most around here are only interested in what's in it for them and not quality health care.
Only 871 Billion eh? Down from 1.1 Trillion. Not bad. But wait, there's also another bill that would cost 247 Billion for a Medicare "fix". Hold on. 871+247=1118 Billion, or (suprise suprise) 1.1 Trillion. Ah, there it is.
Let's face it folks, this is just deception thru and thru. Heck, why don't they split it into ten seperate bills, then they can say it'll only cost 87 Billion! If they have to employ these kind of tactics, then you know they have no interest in what is really good for the country. Otherwise, why have to use them in the first place?
Sounds like we're getting closer to real reform, unless someone kills it with more lies, exaggerations, and half-truths.
It's just another democratically created public option, like public schools, Social Security, Medicare, U.S. Post Office, college tuition programs, etc. All those tea party events were full of seniors saying "No" to government run healthcare – UH – but don't touch my Medicare. O-o-o-o-K?
We cannot afford to do nothing. Health care costs are crushing our economy.
I am a democrat and I voted for Obama, but every time I see Pelosi's face it makes me sick. We all know that she left certain things out of her bill and twisted words around so that the CBO would score it in her favor. This woman lies every single day of her life, to everyone she talks to. It makes americans angry that a bitter old woman is forcing every person to live how she wants them to live, and have no freedoms of their own. She wants to put millions of minorities who work for health insurance companies out on the street with her public option, she wants everyone to pay more to receive less quality health care, she wants people who contribute nothing to our society (no taxes, no jobs) to have subsidized (free health care), and she wants all of us who are scraping by and paying taxes to pay more to pay for it, she wants to take half a trillion dollars away from senior citizens health care, and she loses no sleep over this. What an awful awful person.
Why doesn't the party can this old drone? Put her out to pasture with the other old cows.
Pelosi = Train Wreck
Isn't this what the President said all along?
The Commander in Chief knows what he is talking about.
When are Americans going to wake up to the fact, that we need to fix a badly broken system. No one has a better solution, that will benefit everyone. We are a greedy, self-absorbed nation of complainers, who only fight when we are told – but stay quiet when we should speak up for others. The President is the ONLY person in this country looking out for ALL of us.
If, in the unlikely event that it really does reduce the deficit with the public option, it will reduce the deficit even more without that money-waster.
The public option is for losers who don't want to be bothered with paying their own medical bills. It, like all entitlements, is just theft from working Americans.
Very encouraging to hear this news. It would be great to have the Public Option AND come in under $1.1 trillion. I'm not sure where all the animosity comes from in regards to Nancy Pelosi. I see in her a very strong woman that gets things done. Of course I have only been tracking her for the past year, but I like her spirit. The Democraps need to get their act together and get in sync. 2010 does not bode well for them if they keep playing both sides of the fence.
Sure, if you purchase a health insurance policy for all of the 30 million uninsured for $5,000 and increase taxes by $5,000 from each of the 30 million "rich" in this country, you'd pay for the problem without a single cent going to the deficit. All the government would need to do then is force the insurance companies to adhere to no rescission laws and no pre-existing condition denial laws, as well as introduce competition nationally amongst health insurance companies. Finally, the government would need to reign in the ridiculously over inflated price of healthcare by introducing price controls on doctors, hospitals, and drug companies. The public option is like trying to use a sledge hammer to put a tack into dry wall. There, I've just saved the middle class American taxpayers $871 billion and kept the government out of the insurance business. Who's lined your campaign's pockets Pelosi.
Please get that public option insurance in the final bill, pass it and make it a law!
Until they get the bill passed and then add all the extraneous junk on that they want now. That's one way to lie to the people AGAIN.
Lies! and more Lies! 11.9 trillion dollars of debt and counting, this nation can not even make the interest payments on this debt.
Every single available poll shows that the majority of Americans support a public option. Get it done!
Wow shocker! See the smart Democrats who supported this bill all along knew the CBO was full of crap! Of course when you reform the system there will be savings now or later....never underestimate the educated public! Give us the public option now, period!
The goal to healthcare reform is two fold, I am at a lose to determine which now has priority. We have reducing medical costs/holding cost in check and providing medical coverage for "all" Americans. It takes no rocket scientist, but then again it may, to understand that if you provide medical coverage for "all" Americans, you will see a reduction in medical costs. Why, because there will not be the primary care emergency room vists and the care provided for the unisured, eliminating a major cause for ever increasing medical costs. The Public Option goes a long way in accomplishing this, in addition it places legitmate competion with insurers who have stopped managing risk and spreading risk across large populations and now are only interested in managing profits at the expense of their policy holders. Consumers lost big time when insurance providers stopped being mutal companies and became stock companys.
Go Dems/Obama! Thank you so much for trying to save us from the heartless profit driven insurance companies.
Obama/Biden 2012 defeats Idiot Republican/Idiot Republican 2012.
Time to bring back the "YOU LIE" guy!
It does NOT reduce the deficit . . . this is a LIE . . . get the facts accurate and stop putting out only the information desired by a Obama controlled media.
How about Ms.Pelosi and her Fiends just offer us down here in Littlesville, the same PLAN that the people "on the Hill" get?
Obviously there has to be a public option.
I for one don't like the insurance companies refering to me as a 'Dog' This kind of negative approach to the Insurance business has to be bad for them. Unless you're on your toes and ask the right kind of questions the insurance companies will take you for a ride. Term insurance means that in order to collect you have to die of natural causes before midnight the day before your birthday at 75 or whatever. This is a scam and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Insurance Companies Don't Care About You Just Your Money.
The CBO estimate is flawed. There are 36 million uninsured, 12 million are illegal aliens who will not be covered under the proposed bill until Obama fulfills his promise of "a path to citizenship." So the real cost is 871 + 287=1.1 trillion. I have no doubt that the vast majority of illegal’s who become citizens will join the 47% of people who work but pay no federal income tax.
Well, since it less than $1.1 trillion dollars, that means that it is fiscally responsible, right? This administration is racking up the bills for my kids to pay, and there is nothing I can do about it. Before me I see a whole country full of my "fellow Americans" with their hands out, constantly wanting something for nothing – but guess what – there is no such thing. Someone has to pay for everything, and all of Obama's supporters are piling the debt on our childrens' backs. That's right, their children too. i am presently in the process of relocating my medical practice out of this country. You people can clean up your own mess – me and my tax dollars (which Obama's plans assumed would always be there for the picking) are out of here.
I am 110% behind you – ALL THE WAY – Nancy Pelosi – LET'S GET HEALTHCARE REFORM Passed NOW with the Public Option !! It's the ONLY WAY TO GO !!
Reduces the deficit with a public option......Say it ain't so! I can't wait to read the comments from the opposition. This bill cost around how much the Baucus bill did and it includes a public option. Screw republican support and get this done this year!
The Republican Party is a disgrace and an abomination. There is something putrid about these guys and gals. The Republican Parties of past decades did not make me want to shower after I hear or see them speak on issues. I think it may have started with the Newt Gingrich Crew a few years back.
Preliminary estimate on a preliminary bill? What took the cost from 1.1 trillion to 871 billion? Is CNN allowed to ask that question or will it get you on the bad boy list? Please tell me Nancy did not throw illegal aliens under the bus just to reduce costs.
The real deficit buster for healthcare expenditures will be a Single-Payer system established to replace our current health insurance system. We have evidence that a Single-Payer health insurance system is cheaper and more cost-efficient than any market based or mixed system of health insurance. Just look at the United Kingdom for the evidence. The United Kingdom has a single payer healthcare system and has the lowest per capita healthcare costs of any industrialized country. This is due to the fact the British National Health Service is socialized and has achieved economies of scale, is orientated toward disease prevention and wellness as opposed to disease management and has a larger pool of users and fiscal supporters which make the system self-sustaining. Everyone there pays his/her fair share of the costs and is heavily invested in the system. Everyone in, Nobody Out!!
sounds good to me ...lets make this happen
with or with out republican support ...you have the support of the people
The real deficit buster for healthcare expenditures will be a Single-Payer system established to replace our current health insurance system. We have evidence that a Single-Payer health insurance system is cheaper and more cost-efficient than any market based or mixed system of health insurance. Just look at the United Kingdom for the evidence. The United Kingdom has a single payer healthcare system and has the lowest per capita healthcare costs of any industrialized country. This is due to the fact the British National Health Service is socialized and has achieved economies of scale, is orientated toward disease prevention and wellness as opposed to disease management and has a larger pool of users and fiscal supporters which make the system self-sustaining. Furthermore, administrative costs are 2-3%, whereas, the U.S. healthcare administrative costs are 30%. A single payer system has one proceedure for processing medical claims. This reduces administrative costs. Everyone there pays his/her fair share of the costs and is heavily invested in the system. Everyone in, Nobody Out!!
CBO figures are only legitimate if they reflect negatively on Democrats.
Is this enough proof for you Blue Dogs out there?
What else do you need?
Cough cough.... bullcrap. You are spending 871 BILLION DOLLARS. You cannot reduce the deficit by spending 871 BILLION DOLLARS. Now if you cut 871 BILLION DOLLARS from the budget, now you are reducing the deficit.
Why is this lie being sold to the American people. Why doesn't the administration just tell the truth and say they want to take over our lives? Everything they are doing is pointing towards totalitarianism. If the polls are pointing towards this, and with a vetoproof majority, make it happen. I wouldn't mind being in charge of others lives. It's like Animal Farm, the Revolution is Here.
Isn't Medicare in the process of going bankrupt, if it isn't already? The initial estimate probably also factors in that no one will ever catch more than a mild cold, and that the rich will pay for this willingly. Socialized medicine IS NOT working in other countries, now matter what Pelosi, the libs, and MSNBC say. You think healthcare is bad now? Just wait until this trainwreck passes. That is unless enough Congressmen can put what's best for the people ahead of what's best for Pelosi and Obumbles.
It's under budget and comes with a Public Option! YES! Great job so far, Congress! Let's get this passed!
Down with Pelosi. She is so clueless!!!
While various groups are pointing out weaknesses and costs in the proposed new healthcare delivery system, consider this:
It's still a lot better than what we have now.
The status quo is that insured Americans have very good health care, those in some HMO's have pretty good health care, and the 15% without insurance have terrible care. This huge disparity in care availability, in addition to excessive costs, is our greatest problem.
Free-market capitalism doesn't work all that well in the healthcare industry. If a consumer has insurance, they don't care about costs. It is difficult to impossible to shop or transfer between insurers. Monopoly conditions are common in many states.
There's a lot of areas to fix, and the fixing will cause pain to all parties, but it's something we simply have to do.
The CBO's report is huge in supporting the concept of a public option, the purpose of which is to lower costs through the type of competition the Repubs like to talk about but despise in practice. Senate Repubs have actually admitted that they fear a public option will become as successful and popular as Medicare and thus hurt private health insurance, the Repubs only true constituency. The CBO's report might change some wavering centrist Democrats into manning up and doing the right thing and support a public option.
CBO can say anything it wants but............. We need to look back in history to see what nation tried all this garbage and see what it got them. Germany comes to mind. God help us all.
Demand a Public Option Now!
Not that I care, because I want my free health care, but how does spending $800 billion dollars and increasing doctor's pay decrease the deficit? I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Again, I am just curious I am 100% for the public option because I want free health care. It will be free to me because as a non-working American I do not pay taxes.
It doesn't matter. Regardless of what price tag they put on it. It's always off by a huge factor. The CBO is just about as useless as the Democrats in Congress. Don't trust either of them. Plus these assurances are coming from the Dems, so you know it's a lie.
This is about as crazy as the Washington Post/ABC news poll that found that 57% now favor a public option.......what?
That is pure baloney. The game now appears to be to float poll numbers, and figures that say socialized medicine is great deal. I'm not listening.
If you could just shut Pelosi up, you might have a better chance of support for the bill.
Attention federal government: SIGN ME UP! Can I begin making my health insurance payments? I want to start paying for this, NOW! WE NEED THIS!
Yes, it will reduce the deficit over the first ten years because of the accounting trick of front loading the revenue and back loading the expenditures. It also makes ridiculous assumptions that people, businesses and the healthcare industry will ignore their own interests and act in the best interest of the government. THis bill is right up there with Aesop's fables and Walt Disney when it comes to fairy tales.
I'm sure the congress will find a wasteful way to spend what they "say" they are saving.
Yeah, right, if you believe a government takeover of healthcare, in effect nationalizing health care, is going to cost under at least 1 trillion you are smoking way too much California Medical Hooch and....
I have some land in Florida to sell you too.
Hey Republicans - don't get cancer or diabetes or whatever - that's a pre-existing condition! You won't be covered by your humanitarian HMO that's just looking out for your well-being - that's what HMOs are there for, right?
The majority of the American public support a public option. The CBO has confirmed that a public option will help reduce costs and the deficit. The only ones who do not support the public option are those who have something to gain from runaway health care costs that vicitmize and fleece the American public..
Yep. The magic plan finally emerged. Hi-ho Hi-ho it's up our taxes will go.....c'mon everybody whistle! Wait I forgot this the Dems enter-news site....oops.
People think how much would be saved if we went to a single payer non-profit universal plan. As long as health care is up for any profits the cost will never really go down.
Now people is the time to demand single payer non-profit universal health care. Call your elected officials and demand it.
Our health should not be for profit.
Then the republicans will argue that adding debt is good
To me it makes sense that the CBO in its premlinary estimates, would find that an option for more choices means more folks included could reduce over a decade and more. I always understood that math. Currently there are millions of folks unisured, yet the insurers are able to increase their premiums each year increasing the chance for millions, unable to afford to have health or dental insurance.
In additon, the anti-trust enactment that has allowed insurers to become a monopoly must be done with forever; in order for a optional public choice to work.
Okay Congress let's get this public option finalize and let's move on with a comprehensiive and robust reform bill for the American people.
We are spending ourselves into a 3rd world posture. The familes
that can't afford this will be reduced to bondage. Please don't return
us to the dark ages!
CNN is missing an obvious point. If you propose to spend an additional $871 billion over ten years, and at the same time the deficit will be reduced, how can that be? Tax increases. Big ones. Nay, huge.
Costs less, saves money, provides affordable health care. What exactly is the problem with the GOP?
In all this talk of how much a bill is going to cost, I never see reporting about how much our current system costs. Is it less, more or the same? In addition, you never see how much LESS costs to businesses there would be with insurance reform. Just imagine, being able to leave your job and start a new business, without the fear of losing your health insurance. The real cost to Americans is the cost of doing nothing, and just continuing to pad the profits of insurance companies, while Americans are left bankrupt and 40,000 a year die for lack of healthcare.
As a Registered Republican, Yes we need a PUBLIC OPTION. I can't believe My Party would rather wage war than help those families who do not have healthcare. I don't think this is a party of the faithfull. Things have really changed.............
Can't wait for the REPUgnicants to bash and Discredit the CBO or cherry pick in the bill and rally the Most Ignorants People In America Alias TEA BAGERS to start barking all over the places especially on their propaganda media FALSE NEWS.
Amazing how it falls just below the 900 billion cap... Does anyone truely believe that a government run public option will cost less than a trillion? I'd wager on 2 trillion in overruns the way government programs are run. And if Pelosi has anything to do with it, she'll divert funds to democrat pet projects just like they did with the money meant for armoring the military.
This administration has no transparency and no accountability. Do they think they are playing with Monopoly cash?
Great news! I am a strong advocate for Public option... if the new healthcare bill does not include a public to me that simply is not the change President Obama has promised to a concern voter like myself. Way to go Madam Speaker for sticking to your desire for the american people on the Public Option.....
Public Option Now!
no more excuses.... get it passed
It's hard to believe that anything that Pelosi, Reid and the Obama administration is associated with is good for the people and will reduce the debt. I bet the White House called the CBO and "negotiated," a statement for them to release; much the same way they try to strong arm every other faction of our country. If the public option is passed, the next step would be to relax immigration laws so that all illegal mexicans can have free health care at our expense.....and then we'll see about the deficit being reduced. It's all a con game by the Obama administration to secure future votes from a wishful peasantry.
Oh don't worry you crying Libs. Your going to get your public option.
Courtesy of myself and other hardworking, taxpaying Americans. Gotta spread that wealth around to the lazy and underacheivers.
Contrary to loud outcry from many uninformed and parochial nutwings, the public option will and should, in the long run, lower the overall deficit. No more would people utilize the emergency rooms as their primary care (public) option as is now. Hospitals will also no longer have to absorb millions of $$$ in unpaid bills and, by extention, will pass (hopefully) the savings to the public which will lower the Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement rate as well.
Yeah more smoke and mirrors! The taxes and cuts start now the plan starts in 2013. Gee a 4 year start before the Gov has to pay? And if it's sooo important to get this through NOW why does it start in 2013...after election ...before the real cast hits us?
Yes, but if we don't have an Unconstittuional health care bill pass, then there the cost will be $0 and people will have to take care of themselves....
If there is $$$ to be spent it should be to cap malpractice suits (not gonna happen with all those lawyers in the fed)
Revamp Medicare and Meidcaid: remove the pork and fraud
Get rid of union and health care PACs
Term limits for all federal govt elected positions
Republicans have been using the CBO to make their excuses for opposing health care reform based on cost. Now they're in a tough spot with the CBO illustrating the financial sense of reform. The GOP doesn't have a leg to stand on.
The headline should read "...reduces deficit, then increases it."
I can "reduce" my own personal deficit in the same way: For two years, I will put everything on one of those credit cards that advertises 0% for a time, and pay off any outstanding bills I might have. Then at the end of this time I will have "reduced my deficit." I might even call a press conference to pat myself on the back about it.
Of course, now I have credit debt, and at a huge interest rate – applied retroactively back to the beginning of my maneuver.
There is nothing about this plan which reduces the deficit – it just moves it two years later – for obvious political reasons. And, I might add, for deplorable political reasons.
Im starting to be convinced that a public option is the right way forward. Unfortunately, many moderate democrats are too afraid to do the right thing, which is include a public option.
That's Great News For The Great Legislators Who Are Really Working On Health Care Reform. This Is One Less Excuse For The Obstructionist In The House And Senate, For Pundits, And For Prognosticators.
Good. Then there is no excuse anymore not to add a strong public option to the healthcare bill... GET IT DONE !
PASS A BILL WITH A PUBLIC OPTION NOW! People are dying.
Not many people seem to know this, but health insurance companies are NOT subject to anti-trust legislation. As of 1946, they may legally get together and set arbitrary rates, and they do so. When you hear them talking about a public option killing competition, remember that there IS no competition. They legally collude with each other and set rates at an arbitrary and high level.
Why is it not reported that health insurance companies are not subject to anti-trust laws?
They've had us over a barrel for over 60 years, and it's time they went down. We need single payer health care insurance, just like our military and the rest of the civilized world already have.
Defeat all blue dog democrats in 2010 if still they don't support public option.
Duh. This is obvious. What it won't reduce is the right wing criticism.
I believe anything that comes out of Pelosi's mouth, like I believe in the Tooth fairy, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and balanced budgets with Democrats in control.
She's a pathological liar, her numbers are lower than Obama's and she will say or do ANYTHING to keep her San Freaksisco side show in power.
Time to go AWAY, Nancy!! Just GO AWAY! You are NOT wanted.
BULL!!!!!!!!!
Anyone want to buy some swamp land? I'm sure you could get some type of stimulus money to help build a high rise building that would create a lot of jobs!/!?!?!?!?! LIES are still LIES. If their mouth moves its a lie.
I missed the part where spending $871 BILLION reduces the deficit.
Where does the CBO state that ? Considering they haven't released their report.
Just because your not spending a TRILLION does not mean your decreasing the deficit because you decided to only spend $871 BILLION.
These Democrats are crazy stupid.
Now tell me that is not good news? I as a long-time taxpayer, don't care what it might cost to have a public option in healthcare reform to help the majority of Americans who need insurance, and hope that the dems do what is right for those who need it. That is what the Democratic Party stands for – the real people in the middle class who keep this country running. We expect the the hateful Greedy Old Party will continue to do nothing just as they have been doing, except repeat their irrational message of more tax cuts for the wealthy, more war, and more "isms".
Health Care Reform without Public Option will be totally unacceptable. It is the only plan that truly benefits the American people and will make the insurance companies become competitive, accountable and stop the raping of the American people.
FDL campaigned yesterday for the supporters of Public Option to call their reps and senators. Their goal was 100,000 calls. Well, final tally was over 300,000. The silent majority is speaking up on health care reforms and our survival.
We will no longer accept politics as usual and supporting of big business over the American people.
Only in America can a foreign billionaire, whose mission is to drag down the U.S., control a substantial number of media sources. He then puts a person on TV who compares living in America to living in Mao's China. The difference is that Glenn is paid millions to work in the rice paddies of Fox Lies.
Let me guess - will the rightards come up with clever retorts like "communist budget office?"
They do not seem to understand that if you reduce the cost it does not matter whether you pay your premium in the form of taxes or give it to some for profit mega coporation. Lower costs is lower costs.
(If you actually believe that one, then you are as ignorant as the idiots who voted for obama
You can bet the Party of NO will still try to block anything positive... After all, they owe it to their insurance and pharma contributors.
Nancy Pelosi is a warrior. The right wing spin machine has somewhat succeeded in tarnishing her image as they did to Hillary Clinton in the 90's. They're scared of strong smart women.
Pass Health Care with a vibrant public option!
I wonder how much of Bush's $800 billion bail out to banks reduced our deficit.
Let the record show, we not only found a bill that reverses our debt... but offers healthcare for all the people who already are paying taxes for the Politicians to receive it... and REPUBLICANS ARE AGAINST THIS.
Republicans want America to fail.
Go Go Dems and the public option.
Please don't let facts get in the way of making a decision that should be based on ideology and economic self interest. America should continue to rely on cynical dealings between big business and politicians, after all, that's what made America great and that is what will lead us back to the promised land.
So any opposition to the public option by our elected officials can now be only one thing: pure corruption.
We all know how well the government forecasts costs. We did a pretty good job with social security and medicare.
Harry Reid...are you there?
Please tell them, blue dogs and all dogs....Who cares about bipartisian support?
We the American people want a bill that emphasizes a "human face"!
ok , now what are the rethugs gonna say about this , let me geuss.....Steele to everyone in his part ...." the CBO is a scam of the left.........................hahaha
as an american who recieves healthcare from his employer this public option will make my employer dump my private plan that i pay $300 a month for because democratic leadership will for sure deem my plan a cadillac and fine my employer to dump me onto this disgrace of an idea that with millions more added to the role that the care for my family and myself will not suffer..... call me selfish but I work hard for what I have and for the right to give my family the best and to have it stripped away by some Washington politician is wrong..... Taxing my company 40% to help pay for something that is not a right is wrong... If people want better insurance or a better life maybe they should work a little harder instead of waiting for the govt. to give them everything they want.... Go to college and get a degree and make your life better by the sweat off your back, not by jumping on mine and making me sweat twice as much.......
It seems a bit morbid to have a company's profit be based on people not getting their medical bills for required treatment paid for by insurance companies (or dying quickly as one congressman put it). The public option will add competition in the insurance market – isn't that what capitalism is all about?
We need a public option, in this health care reform bill, if they don't include a public option in this reform, they might as well not do any thing. I hope that the powers that be, will see that. thank you
How can you spend 871 billion dollars and reduce the deficit in the first 10 years? Two possible answers to that. Charge you for the service they promise to provide in 2013 and start paying for now. Or: Kick that can to after the first 10 years. So we give them our money up front and they promise not to spend it on pork/earmarks. Trust me. Not. Why not go after all that 500 billion they say is waste from mediwhatever and then they could prove to us they are creditable. That seem easy enough to me, right? Not. They won't do it they are going to make health care into Health Scare. I support Health Care reform, but I don't see the logic to this plan.
The Republicans were quick to tout the CBO's independant expertise when it said that the proposal would increase the deficit. Let's see if they have the same confidence in the CBO now that it shows improvements to the bill will actually decrease the deficit.
Something tells me that they all of the sudden will think the CBO is an arm of the White-house and has been influenced by the Democrats. All of the sudden, Republicans won't think the CBO is soooo non-partisan as they did 2 months ago.
Excellent. Now pass it.
Um, Obama and the crew said it would reduce the deficit over 10yrs when they first talked about reforming it, but the media and the Republidioracists tried to drown them out to create the madness they did.
Some days the news says that the public option will increase costs, the next day it will decrease costs.... this reporting and speculating is a sham.
The best way to judge how successful a public option will be is to see how current government programs are being run. Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security are all in financial trouble (not economically viable). In other words, it is purely hypothetical to say that a public option will save money.
Has anyone noticed all the new taxes, fees being laden on the middle class?
well, i guess like Ben B in the Federal Reserve, when your butt is on the line in washington....its time to sing a different tune
does this admin or congress have any shame?
Keep up the great work Dems...we need health reform now!
Any way you slice it and dice it, it's going to cost taxpayers more for less.
Collecting taxes for the first seven years to pay for the last three years is not deficit neural. It's a gimmick.
Can we just finally pass this thing already so that everyone has access to affordable health care and we can tell these "death panel" bean-counter insurance industry executives to go pound sand and deal with having to make a real living like the rest of us? Thank you very much.
Thomas Edison created the light bulb after 1000th tries, so dont be afraid!! Let's do the right thing and keep changing for the better!! Otherwise, we'll end up like the DINOSAURS...
Imagine that, Obama saving money and cutting the deficit!
Conservatives are truly rolling over in their grave, I imagine.
Funny, a black male president doing better than a white male president. I love it.
Even though I know that probably most conservatives will probably dismiss this as a bunch of liberal nonsense I feel maybe some people who still have an open mind on reform (as few as that may be) may see this report and realize that the bill and its effects won't "destroy America and implement a socialist state." And that it's effects may actually be beneficial for the country and the deficit.
And two important, effective ways to help fund meaningful health care reform (including a robust public option and eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions) are:
1. Eliminate the FICA tax cap on income above $90,000. This would generate a huge source of funds. (Right now, no FICA is paid on individual income above $90,000.)
2. Change the top tax rate to what it was under Ronald Reagan: 39%. Right now, the top rate is 36%; people making higher incomes can afford to pay an additional 3%.
Are these "taxes on the rich?" Yes, they are. And the wealthy of this country can well afford it. After all, it's the least they can do for this country that has given them the opportunity to create their wealth in the first place.
Too bad this plan won't fly. Republicants won't vote for anything good for this country if it makes Obama look good. They are more set on revenging their political losses than worrying about the people of this country. Oh, it would also take money from the old white rich Republicans........can't have that. So, sorry to those of you without health insurance or about to loose it for financial reasons. Those of you going bankrupt from medical bills......You will still be without insurance or assistance for some time!
If this is true, what's left to argue....get it done
There is no way that the MAJORITY in our country believe that this Bill is going to reduce the deficit-ESPECIALLY if it contains the public option. And, the moderate Dems/blue dogs do not believe it as well, which is why they cannot get it passed. Fortunately, all articles, reports, polls are now indicating that the Democrats are going to get clobbered in the 2010 and 2012 elections. And, hopefully whatever damaging/destructive legislation that is passed while the Democrats are in power--can be repealed when their power/control is taken away during the 2010 and 2012 elections.