Which Chart Best Exposes Obamacare’s True Impact on the Deficit?
Posted July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm in Health Care 
Print This Post
From the beginning, President Barack Obama promised the American people his health plan would not add to our federal deficit in the long term. Just this past Saturday he again promised the country: “I will not sign on to any health plan that adds to our deficits over the next decade. And by helping improve quality and efficiency, the reforms we make will help bring our deficits under control in the long term.” Problem is the official, independent, nonpartisan scorekeepers for Congressional spending and revenue, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and Joint Committee on Taxation, keep releasing estimates showing that reality just does not match Obama’s rhetoric.
When the CBO first released their scoring of the House bill, we produced this chart explaining: “by waiting till year 4 of a 10 year forecast, the Democrats are gaming the Congressional Budget Office’s scoring system to hide the true cost of their bill from the American people.”
After the Joint Committee on Taxation released their revenue estimates on July 16th, the House Ways and Means Committee extrapolated the data beyond 2019 in this chart, writing: “As the graph below shows, if the Democrats’ health care spending continues at those rates, it could cause a massive spike in the federal deficit – reaching as high as $1.6 trillion over the next 20 years. ”
Finally, former U.S. National Economic Council director Keith Hennessey took a slightly different graphical approach, highlighting the budget-busting effects of the 3.6 point gap between the House bill’s 5.1% annual revenue growth rate and the 8.7% annual spending growth rate:
No matter which way you slice it, the conclusion is clear: not only does President Obama’s budget already show average deficits of $855 billion over the next decade. Not only does Obama’s budget double the publicly-held national debt by 2019. But his health care plan will add another massive entitlement that will further cripple our structural deficit for generations to come.
Author: 
17 Responses to “Which Chart Best Exposes Obamacare’s True Impact on the Deficit?”
Concerned citizen & nana on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Obamacare is a thinly veiled attempt at fed.govt.intrusion into\private insurance companies and private hospitals and
another power grab and legalized theft of “constitutionally
guaranteed”individual rights …more spending of our(taxpayers)
money..not theirs…Congress is exempt from all the rules & regulations they impose on us! PINK SLIPS for all Congressional
members (“representatives”,using that term loosely)who pass bills
they don’t read!
J.C. Hughes, Texas on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Obama said “…And by helping improve quality and efficiency…”
This is at best ignorant “HOPE” and totally unachievable under Obama’s proposed “public option”. Keeping healthcare dollars in consumers’ pockets is the best way to control costs and quality. This means not adding additional tax burdens and allowing folks to keep more of their earnings. If the federal government really wants to increase the number of insured, offer tax write-offs for any healthcare costs to include insurance premiums, even if it means zero tax receipts. The demagogues have demonstrated an unbelievable ability to create currency backed by thin air. They shouldn’t miss the revenue at all. Believe me, the benefits to cost ratio within the private market will prove far less expensive for individuals than any government mandated “spread the wealth” tax. My local property taxes already pay for indigent care.
Dave Chelsea, MI on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Think about the voting-block the healthcare industry workers would have IF a public option becomes law (think Liberal agenda herein) — We will never be able to rein in costs or make necessary adjustments because the Healthcare Industry will self-serve their Industry and themselves in opposition to voting in representatives that MIGHT do good for the entire Nation in regard to any future reform found necessary IF after the current bill in its current form is made the law of the land. Scary -you bet……but that scare should also resonate as this Congress and this Administration create additional “wards of the State” who vote with OUR pocketbooks in mind, through their class-warfare mode of operation….
PDS, NC on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
A chart won’t ever depict the true affect a racist, lying, socialist politician has on the economy or any other issue. As long as you are charismatic.
Lloyd Scallan – New Orleans on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Over 350 million American have “private” health insurance. Of that total about 90% are satified with their plans. On the other hand less that
20 million (when illgeagles, those who don’t want
coverate or won’t pay for it, and others such types are elimitnated). That less than 2% of the
American people. Even if we use the outrageous lie
of 47 million, that’s still slightly over 7%. So, Obama and the Demorats want to completely destroy
our present health care system for about 2% of the people. We all know that is not the truth hidden behind Obama reasons. It’s FULL CONTROL of
our financial system and FULL CONTROL of our way of life so he can drive us all into a
socialist system where the Government has FULL CONTROL over every espect of our lives. If you choose to hear him speak, just remember who and what he is and most important, nothing his says is
true. IT IS ALL LIES AND DISTORTION.
Cindy, Texas on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Pravo to Nana above – It should be MANDATORY that every member of Congress & Senate read Every Bill thoroughly and comprehend what they read before they can vote on it.
It should also be mandatory that every time Obama gives a speech and obsessively interjects his “excuses” of ‘the prior administration’ he should have to include the words … “AND the Democrat Controlled Congress” – since Congress spends the money!
Get the Truth Out there – and vote everyone out of Congress and start over!
Cindy, Texas on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Correction – BRAVO (not Pravo) to Nana
Becky, Texas on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Thanks for these charts. A picture is worth a trillion words. Let’s spread the information around so all can be aware.
John Winston Salem, NC on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
I never thought the american people were so nieve to believe this man. If you listen to him and have any smarts you know he is just telling lies to get what he wants. He has never read the health care bill how can he tell you what it says?
Everyone needs to start caring before its too late.
Sandy, Indiana on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Interesting that the spending and deficits don’t really hit home until AFTER Obama leaves office.
Joseph Cottrell, Tooele, UT on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Like the bunch of math-illiterate school children let loose in the candy store that they are, Emperor Urkel and his socialist horde will eventually be stopped at the cash register and forced to put all their loot back on the shelves. Then, they should be appropriately punished for their bad behavior.
So, looking forward to the forces of good regaining control of national sanity in 2010, I think it’s high time we start considering how to reverse all the mischief that has been foisted on us since Hairy Reed and Granny Pelosi took control of congress in 2006. The best possible way to reduce the cost of EVERYTHING in this country is to get Congress’ parasitical fingers OUT of it all.
We have a big job ahead of us, folks. Let’s make sure we have the right (pun intended) people in place to get it done.
Patti, Santa Clara, UT on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Those in Washington are so far removed from reality that they have no sense of what the impact of billions or trillions of dollars in new taxes would mean for the average American. If Congress were forced to operate on a monthly budget, similar to the average family, perhaps they would be forced to experience the financial ups and downs of “real” life. Instead, they live in a desensitized world, where trillions of dollars seems like pocket change.
Ron, Florida on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
You’re absolutely correct in the necessity to rid our country of these traitors. However, it will be very difficult to do so after ACORN manages to “cook-the-books” in the distribution of representatives during the upcoming census. On top of that, the number of votes being bought under the guise of the Stimulus Plan will further slant the future of this country towards Obama’s plans for dictatorship. So if you have time to spare, stay actively involved in fighting this deception.
Lynn B. DeSpain on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
Let us all look at this from outside of the box for a change. Both Mr. and Mrs. Obama received free higher education at the taxpayers expense. Neither worked during their formative years earning their school clothes, lunch money, bicycles, et al. Both refer to themselves as African Americans, though both claim to be born Americans. Both are educated racist as they refer to all other Americans by their ethnic backgrounds. Neither has any business background but both believe that all minorities are owed something. This is proven by their words, actions and support of ACORN. In no way can America survive Public Health Care!
Hozro
Bruce Hall, Michigan on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
The charts are interesting, but miss the main point that none of them provide the visual recognition of the true cost:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_b5jZxTCSlm0/Sn7oPtw-lhI/AAAAAAAADT0/CQ2D-6luius/s1600-h/Health+Care+Annual+Versus+Cumulative+Deficit+Chasm.JPG
Marshall Hill MI. on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
WE the People lose!
James Frazee, Arkansas on July 29th, 2009 at 2:15pm said:
OK, the Democrats have all Bills out of Committee. I can sort of understand the Liberal bias due to the Liberal Left leadership and the fact that many in Congress have NO experience in anything except being a Bureaucrat.
Democrats believe in the Public Option, which is Socialism, if the insurance companies don’t meet the challenge of affordability or they just believe in the Public Option as the affordable option.
But now that the Democrats have their Bills, why is the news media not asking one simple question.
What is affordable insurance and for what coverage???
What are the premiums, deductibles, and co pays?
Can Democrats answer that?