3 Reasons Health Care Reform Won't Cut The Deficit By One Thin Dime.

One of the main selling points of health care reform was that it would cut the federal deficit by a supposed $143 billion over the next decade and a trillion-plus dollars in the one after that.

But not only will the legislation not cut one thin dime from the deficit, it will also certainly cost far more than the $940 billion in new spending already on the table for at least three reasons.

These include:

1. Legislative Trickery. Congressional Democrats have pledged support for "the doc fix," a permanent upward adjustment to the rates at which Medicare providers are reimbursed. As Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said, "We have made a commitment to do this. This is very important." The cost of the "doc fix"? Some $247 billion over the next 10 years, wiping out any deficit reduction from health care reform.

2. HIgher Premiums. In 2006, Massachusetts passed health care reform very similar to what President Obama just signed. The result? The Bay State now has the highest premiums in the country and cost about 33 percent more than expected.

3. Bad Accounting. The government is terrible at predicting how much programs will cost, especially when it comes to medical care. Initial 1960s' projections of Medicare's costs in 1990 had the program costing about $12 billion; the actual result was almost 10 times that amount. As a Joint Economic Committee report notes, "Major health care proposals have almost always cost more...than the highest cost estimates published while the legislation was pending."

Approximately 2.19 minutes. Written and produced by Meredith Bragg, Dan Hayes, and Nick Gillespie, who also hosts.

Read more about health care reform and its costs at http://reason.com/topics/health-care

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News & Politics

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• reason.tv
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• health care
• obamacare
• nancy pelosi
• harry reid
• medicare
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• meredith bragg
• dan hayes
• nick gillespie

[hawkermustang]

This is just another welfare entitlement. It will will not save any money, it will put the nation another trillion in debt. Just like with the rebuilding of the world trade center, 7 billion dollars have been spent and they still have nothing to show for it due to government meddling, red tape, fraud, waste, and abuse.

[AlanCom1]

Obama lies and lies and lies.

[felpaluche]

I believe so too.

[swu880]

29 people don't like accounting

[Amidat]

I'm not fan of this guy... but I do believe he's correct on this one. Point blank.. the US system would have to be completely overhauled. If you look at the countries who have better healthcare indices and/or have free health care. The insurance and drug companies have MUCH less power.. and healthcare salaries aren't in the startosphere. It's too much to list here... but unfortunately the special interests have the Democrats and Republicans on the money hook... so I don't expect REAL change.

[xxfrijolxx]

Yeah!!! fuck obamba care. I like the Republican options better!!! $15,000 rebate for medicare. If your costs are more than that then F U you're screwed. And better yet, push retirement to age 70!!! I love it!!!!

[teleutube]

One very SIMPLE equation that you don't need a PhD to understand:

No Cost Control Mechanism WHATSOEVER (Public Option) + Individual mandate + fines(fees) = Multi-hundred-billion windfall bill for insurance industry.

[Vegemighty]

I support reform. But not this kind. Government should stay out of providing it. I would suggest that they just pass laws specifying when you can or cant drop coverage, and that you cant check for preexisting conditions, and maybe add in something promoting healthy behavior. The big problem is the unhealthy people get pushed into medicare/aid and up the burden to the gov, which isnt good managing such things.

If anyone knows a politically feasible way to accomplish that, let me know

[augendschroedinge]

sing it bro mp3ify is the URL to dl this song. do a search engine lookup for mp3ify.

[olumorador]

here we go again. this president spent some precious time passing the health reform bill passed in spite of the fact that the majority of americans does not support it. now he's at it again - trying to sell the health reform law that still is unpopular with the majority of americans. why didn't he concentrate on the economy and job creation???

[pyro666926]

Cut defense spending, stop our wars, that will cut the deficit. Why do we spent more than any other 1st world country on healthcare, and still have worse out comes?

Healthcare is now a Utility, it takes too much capital for a new company to just start up, therefore, if SHOULD be regulated severely, or simply absorbed by the government.

[Tombo162]

@Deeprive Oh, Alright...I guess.....Huh!