Yes, $2.6 Trillion! A Closer Look at the Full 10 Years of Spending in the House Health Bill
Posted November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm in Health Care 
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the House Democratic leadership are frantically trying to find enough votes to pass their giant 2,032 page health care legislation this weekend. But before Speaker Pelosi and liberals in Congress pass their big bill, the American taxpayers should be fully aware of the full price tag of this monster.
As Heritage analysts noted earlier in the week, the Congressional Budget Office released its preliminary score of the bill (H.R. 3962) but too many in the media have not been reporting its true cost. The true cost is not the net spending on only the coverage related provisions ($897 billion) but rather the total gross spending for the coverage provisions ($1.05 trillion) as well as any additional spending in the bill (approximately $217 billion). That would raise the plan’s price tag to about $1.5 trillion when including the roughly $210 billion cost of the “doc fix” is included. The “doc fix” refers to the undoing of the flawed Medicare payment update formula, which Congress created but has routinely stopped from being enforced. Under current law, that formula would result in a 20 percent reduction in doctors’ pay under the Medicare program.
The real story about the true cost is even more dramatic. The bill is front loaded with taxes, and back-loaded with spending in the first ten years. Since most of the spending in the House bill does not fully go into effect until 2014, the 10-year cost estimates based on the preliminary CBO score (for years 2010 through 2019) only account for six years of new spending under the plan. Once it is implemented (over a full 10-year window from years 2014 to 2023), the giant House health bill carries a price tag of $2.4 trillion, or as much as $2.6 trillion with the “doc fix.”
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12 Responses to “Yes, $2.6 Trillion! A Closer Look at the Full 10 Years of Spending in the House Health Bill”
Denise Hampton, Muskogee, OK on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
This is horrible. Do they truly believe that “we the people” want or need this. I have some chronic health issues which have not been caused by my lifestyle or poor choices and I have always had Health Insurance even if I’ve had to get it on my own via the Oklahoma High Risk Pool. Why have these High Risk Pools that are in most, if not every, state ever been mentioned? These people know nothing about the Health Insurance Industry. Besides dealing with my own insurance because of health issues, I have been an owner of a Medical Billing Company for the last 12 years. These people are lying to us when they tell us how good this will be. If its going to be the “Consumer Option” then the government MUST also be enrolled in it. That should be a law added to the bill.
Bobbie Jay on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
No sense of decency. NONE.
Some time down the road, hmm, next year or so, if we still exist, they’ll say they underestimated!
somebody has to stop this hatred toward humanity.
Roger S., Ma. on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
Now it’s 2,032 pages, is it? What, did they just add the House and the Senate versions? They certainly seem to have on the cost level.
897 Billion, to 1.3 Trillion, then to 1.5, then 2.4, then maybe 2.6? My oh my, it hasn’t even been voted yet, and nearly tripled. (But, don’t worry: China will “loan” us the money — so long as we keep buying their products.) Anybody care to bet on how long it will take to quadruple, quintuple? Are we in the stratosphere yet? Where’s the ejection seat “handle”? Where’s Joe Biden when we need him to tell us what was overlooked. Because “Bush did it”!? On the other hand:
— Now for that pesky “math homework”: (using the highest value so far quoted) 2.6T$/320MPeople =8.130$/Person-10years =813$/Person-year. Surprise, a bargain, were it but true! Could it be? IMO, no way! Why not? Because that’s a fraction of what it costs in the private sector today, and not just in the USA, although the med.-insurance co.’s haven’t been that profitable. — So, hmmmmmm, who’s kidding whom?!
Guess you just all “live real healthy”, now on, y’all hear? No booze. No smokes. No burgers. No dogs. No type “A” tantrums. Lots’a quiet long walks for exercise. And, no accidents, please, pretty please!?
Oh, I forgot, what was the penalty for opting out, 1.500/year? So, could they be hoping a lot of us will opt out, so they can finally “make some money”? Now, that would be theee class act. “Free enterprise” in action. How to make the customer pay twice for what he won’t get. That will teach him! You bet! Public Option! And, Hail to the Chiefs! “Single payer” or single prayer, that is the question? Moving to the Amazon next, to be treated by some old-fashioned “Shamans”. They still knew what they were doing, down there!
Brian on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
Gross spending? What kind of measure is that? The only questions that matter are the level of taxation and whether it lowers the projected deficit or not. CBO says it does. You can’t really honestly suggest that it’s fair to exclude cost savings.
Mike, Saint Louis on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
Just wondering. Won’t additional “doc fixes” also be required. If they don’t fix the underlying legislation, won’t they continue to have to pass this authorization?
Bobbie Jay on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
Why would any decent human being want to propose such a take-over and continue to deny it when it is in black and white? Penalty costs TO THE PEOPLE FOR NON-COMPLIANCE OF GOVERNMENT INVASION OF PERSONAL EXISTENCE BY FORCE? INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY? Taxes on necessities of our survival? Forcing American born to pay for foreign born at the CHOICE OF THE FOREIGN BORN to live here? Paying and rewarding criminals and those that don’t comply to civil law? PEOPLE NON COMPLIANT TO ASSIMILATION SO GOVERNMENT (TAX PAYERS EXPENSE) PROMOTES PROGRAMS TO ACCOMMODATE FOREIGN BORN LIFESTYLES?? THINKING LESS OF IMMIGRANTS AND THOSE GOVERNMENT DESCRIBES AS MINORITIES TO TAKE ON THEIR OWN INDEPENDENCE OF THEIR EXISTENCE? THIS IS DOWN RIGHT EVIL. EVIL IS NOT FORGIVEN, BUT DESPISED.
CREATING POLICIES THAT DISCRIMINATE? FAVORS OF FINANCE FOR HIS OWN SPECIAL INTERESTS?
Nobody under Obama thinks for themselves. Obama used a line written on another comment blog. Only the line stated, paraphrasing: mr president, we are people that think for ourselves. Mr. Obama said: democrats? democrats think for themselves. the other guys?…bla bla bla.
When DEMOCRATS are refusing to accept a difference of opinion, THERE IS NO NEED TO THINK PERIOD!!!!…let alone themselves.
Thank you Mr. Obama, and those who stand for your “change,” for showing us how evil, is the “change” you promised. You have taught us, you (and everybody with you) are not to be trusted on anything. You lie through your teeth. Keeping the ones who trusted you, clueless.
OldSailor, Las Vegas on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
It is a horrible mistake to contemplate this kind of legislation that will never be reversed because it likely will be viewed as “an entitlement” program. Moreover, the entire process is a travesty inasmuch as the majority of the representatives who are voting for approval of this bill have not the decency to read it. Sure, it is over 2,000 pages, but that is the fault of the so call Democrat party leadership, and, after all, reading legislation before voting on it should be part of the job description. I am all in favor of voting to put an end to the current rubber-stamp congress in 2010 & 2012 but I fear we might be too late.
JGB, Cincinnati on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
Kind of like getting the monthly payment down on a new car buy making payments for three years before I am allowed to drive it. Sigh.
Ken,Houston,Texas on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
This is pure socialism in it’s finest form ! The problem is people want the Gov’t. to control their lives. The majority want this? I can’t for the life of me figure out why people love the Gov’t. so much ? I always say the govt could’nt run a lemonade stand in the desert. The Gov’t. can’t even get the swine flu shot shortage worked out and were going to let them have and run our healthcare system? Our kids and young people have been brainwashed into socialism, I guess, is the reason people want this? Goodbye America you just gave away your country.Wait for about 5 years and you will regret this decision,but it will be too late to change it back. Say goodnight, sleeptight to the good old u.s.a. communism here we come woohoo
GLENN TEXAS on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
SHAME ,WHAT ARROGANCE. THE POLITICAN 220,THE RERESENTATIVE 215…COME ON 2010,SOME PEOPLE HAD BETTER PACK THEN GET THAT ONE-WAY TICKET.
Mary,Cleveland, OH on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
Don’t become a doctor if this bill becomes law.
Bob B on November 6th, 2009 at 5:37pm said:
Taxes and fines will not cover the costs. If we are spending too much today how do we rationalize adding another couple trillion. I don’t think that the money is the worse part of this legislation, it’s all the non health care related stuff. If you want a solution to reform w/o taxes go to http://www.robertblades.com and check out this book.