No CBO score tonight, Pelosi's office says

[laughingliberal]

By Molly K. Hooper - 03/17/10 07:52 PM ET
House Democrats will not post a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate of the revised healthcare bill tonight, according toSpeaker Pelosi's (D-Calif.) office.

Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami told reporters gathered outside the Speaker's office, that a a CBO score would not be forthcoming.

"Go home," Elshami said, avoiding questions of the implication not having the scores online means to the timing of a final vote.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) admitted that if the scores are posted on Thursday, and Democrats honor the 72-hour rule, then the vote would "most likely happen on Sunday, if that scenario plays out."


http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/87513-no-cbo-score-tonight-pelosis-office-says

I know Tuesday morning they were reporting CBO scores would be done and the reconciliation bill would be posted online within 24 hours. Wonder what's up?

[dkf]

1. If the scoring is horrendous do they start over?

[kenny blankenship]

2. The little plastic thermometer hasn't popped up yet

When they're done cooking it it will look like this:

[leftstreet]

5. +1 ROFL

:rofl:

[laughingliberal]

8. Lol! nt

[griffi94]

3. charlie rose

was talking about this. i missed most of it but lawrence o'donnell said he thinks the votes aren't there yet.

[laughingliberal]

4. That's what I'm thinking

The CBO score can't have changed much since the Senate bill was scored. I think they don't have the votes and the reconciliation bill isn't nailed down. Then there was that last minute visit by Trumka to the White House. Looks a little shaky, right now.

[griffi94]

6. i forgot about the trumka visit

the speculation was the tax on union plans was going to be more than originally thought.
i don't know if that would be a deal breaker or not. i know the unions aren't going to be happy to
be taxed on plans they earned by giving up pay raises.
wasn't obama against taxing the cadillac plans when he was campaigning.

[laughingliberal]

7. I'm thinking the compromise worked out on the excise tax might have been tanking

I'm assuming they meant to get it into the reconciliation bill. If it's tanking and the unions withdraw their support, the votes are going to be harder to get in the House.

Obama was not in favor of taxing benefits while campaigning.

[dkf]

9. I thought they moved it back for several years?

Im thinking it blows a hole in the numbers.

[laughingliberal]

12. That, and raised the premium levels at which it kicked in.

It may well have blown a hole in the numbers. They never scored it as this was just negotiated when the MA election was lost. And, if they ditch the compromise with the unions, there goes their support and, possibly, some votes with it. I believe it could be related.

[dkf]

14. Wow they want to change it from CPI+1 to just CPI.

Anybody who works with numbers can tell you that 100 basis points compounded is huge.

I guess dems are not done taking their pound of flesh from the unions.

[laughingliberal]

17. I saw that. CPI +1 was little enough to prevent many policies from rapidly rising to the threshold

It's upsetting that this excise tax was one of the provisions where the President dug his heels in. Was there any progressive provision in the bill for which he dug in and lobbied forcefully?

[dkf]

19. Health inflation is waaaaay worse than regular inflation

Get ready for more out of pocket expenses. They remove cap with one hand and force coinsurance increases with the other. Disgusting

[laughingliberal]

20. Yes. nt

[amborin]

13. it's not just on union plans; it's on many, many people's plans

it's just that the unions bravely fought against it

the unions tried to get rid of the excise tax completely, since it's an unfair attack on the middle class

Obama bashed McCain during the primaries for touting this excise tax

just as Obama bashed Clinton for the mandate

just as Obama campaigned on a robust PO

just as Obama pledged to hold talks with all parties in the open....


uc berkeley study shows mostly non-union plans hit by excise tax:

http://files.cwa-union.org/healthcarevoices/UCBerkeleyExciseTaxReport2010.pdf

[PhD]

16. Well said--this whole process just reeks to high heavens

When a bill is built on a tapestry of deceit and political payoffs, how can we trust that our leaders are truly looking out for our best interests?

[laughingliberal]

18. Small companies with large numbers of older women will be hit hard (think health care

where nurses are mostly female and the average age is around 50). Without the compromise reached between the House, Senate, and the White House there will not be the clause protecting businesses with large numbers of women and older workers. Nurses will take a hit.

[DFLforever]

10. Its not the votes, it's the CBO scoring

especially on the excise tax provision. That's why the AFL-CIO ws called in for negotiations.

If it were simply a matter of voting numbers , they could delay the floor vote.

[laughingliberal]

11. I don't believe those 2 things are unrelated

If they can't get the compromise the unions had worked out with the White House, their votes could be short. I don't know but seems to me they would be, perhaps, trying to rework it?

[DFLforever]

15. They'll get an acceptable compromise because both

parties, labor and the White House, want one.