Health Care Law Gives 'Notable Improvement' To Debt Outlook If Implemented: GAO

[cal04]

Health Care Law Gives 'Notable Improvement' To Debt Outlook If Implemented: GAO Report
by Sam Stein
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/15/health-care-law-debt_n_783918.html

A new non-partisan report finds that the cumulative effects of President Obama's health care reform package would be beneficial for the government's efforts at debt reduction if the law is implemented fully.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office put out a report on Monday afternoon that provides some welcome news for defenders of the Affordable Care Act and, perhaps, a bit of pause for those eager to overturn or de-fund the legislation. The debt is an increasingly dire crisis, the investigative arm of Congress found. But one thing alleviating the problem, though by no means eliminating it, is the health care reform package passed this past spring.

The federal government faces long-term fiscal pressures that predate the economic downturn and are driven on the spending side largely by rising health care costs and an aging population. GAO's simulations show continually increasing levels of debt that are unsustainable over the long-term. Under the Alternative simulation, debt held by the public as a share of GDP would exceed the historical high reached in the aftermath of World War II by 2020. Both of these simulations incorporate effects of health care legislation enacted in March 2010, which includes a number of provisions to control the growth of federal health care spending. There is a notable improvement in the long-term outlook under the Baseline Extended simulation, which assumes full implementation and effectiveness of cost control provisions.

(Emphasis is ours)

The report goes on to air skepticism from Social Security Trustees, the Congressional Budget Office and the CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) Actuary that those cost control provisions will be put in place or, for that matter, that they will be "sustainable" over time. But that is a problem that reform advocates would argue is worth having. Better to tinker with the cost control mechanisms, after all, then to have to restructure an entire bill because it failed to control costs in the first place.

[Pirate Smile]

1. Any crap the new Republican House tries to pass to repeal HCR (or any aspect of HCR) needs to be

submitted to the CBO to see what impact it will have on the deficit before it ever gets voted on. I'm sure most of their stupid proposals would increase the deficit and limit or damage the potential $$$ savings the HCR is supposed to provide. I hope we make that point perfectly clear when they do it.

Even Bowles and Simpson kept the HCR in their "plan" because it is good for cutting the deficit. They also asked for a public option to be added to it.

[Hoyt]

3. The POption proposal from the Deficit Commission Co-chairs would really improve HCR if adopted.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. Why are the Republicans spreading lies saying that it adds to the deficit?

I've heard them say it's too expensive yet the wars add more to the deficit?

[Festivito]

5. Because the media likes the lie, and Obama does not feel like correcting the impression.

Thus we lose elections we should win.

[librechik]

6. Obama has corrected that many times--the media just don't care

they have their narrative, and it doesn't include the phrase "Democrats Win"

[Festivito]

7. No and no. 1. Obama needs to talk to US like we are fifth graders.

And, if that does not work, like we are fourth graders, and continue down the gradations. This is tough to grasp and our people are thickened by our media.

2. The media DOES care, they care FOR the lie. That is how their promotions, pay raises, and continuity of employment arise.

[librechik]

12. I meant they don't care that it''s a lie.

and Obama needs to talk more, not just more simply. He gets half the coverage bunnypajamas did. They want to silence him. And it's working very well.

[Festivito]

13. Snickle. "bunnypajamas" And, you're right, they're silencing Obama.

They're for silencing and for keeping those lies afloat.

Envious of that 'stang wheels.
--Fes

[Rosa Luxemburg]

8. It's about time the Democrats did correct the Republicans

[Safetykitten]

4. I suppose when you add the dead people that save on all sorts of things.

[gratuitous]

9. Full implementation and cost controls

Yup, but can this simple concept penetrate the thick crania of the Very Serious People who all just say "Obamacare" and are then done with the discussion? Or is it so complicated that the only way forward is to keep the insurance industry involved, so that sickness, disability and death - inevitable as they are to the human condition - remain a profit center?

[eridani]

10. By imposing huge costs on individuals, especially sick people n/t

[bluetrain]

11. exactly /nt