- It is reported that the House will convene on Sunday at 1 p.m. with a vote beginning no sooner than 2 p.m.
- We are in the process of reviewing the information to provide you with an update about the sections that will impact Benefitfocus and our clients.
- In the interim, here is the link if you’d like to peruse the proposed amendment http://www.rules.house.gov/bills_details.aspx?NewsID=4606.
CBO releases health bill cost estimate; legislative language anticipated to be released later today
- The Congressional Budget Office sent House leaders a cost estimate today on their proposed healthcare legislation.
- The estimate states that the bill would cost $940 billion over 10 years and expand coverage to 95 percent of Americans. (This would leave 21 million without insurance coverage, many of whom are illegal immigrants.)
- The federal deficit would decrease by approximately $130 billion in the first 10 years and by $1.2 trillion over the following 10 years.
- The bill costs more than the original draft bills passed by the Senate and the House last fall. However, Democrats were able to keep the deficit reduction figures at the same levels.
- Pelosi (D-Calif.) continues to search for the 216 votes needed for passage. It is anticipated that these figures will ease the concerns of fiscal conservatives who have been reluctant vote for the bill.
- Legislative language is expected to be posted to the Web site of the House Rules Committee sometime Thursday morning.
- The latest changes to the bill would:
- Close the donut hole in the Medicare prescription drug program,
- Boost subsidies for lower-income individuals to buy insurance, and
- Push back the implementation date of the tax on Cadillac insurance plans until 2018.
- Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/18/AR2010031801153.html?hpid=topnews