According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in a preliminary cost estimate released today, the revised Health Care Reform bill -- H.R. 4872, the Reconciliation Act of 2010 -- would cost $940 billion over 10 years and cut the federal deficit over the next two decades. If enacted it will reduce the deficit by about $130 billion in the first 10 years and by $1.2 trillion over the second 10 years. Reform also will expand coverage to 95 percent of Americans, according to the CBO figures. To read the full CBO report, click here.
The House Rules Committee posted the text of the final health reform bill, H.R. 4872 – the Reconciliation Act of 2010 – along with a section-by-section breakdown of the bill. To read the bill, click here.
The NCHC Action Fund, along with several organizations supporting health reform, signed on to a letter sent to House members today reflecting their support for health reform and an offer to work with the member’s constituents after reform passes. The organizations pledged to help the member’s constituents understand the benefits of reform and assist the Representative in conducting a successful public education campaign on the details of any passed health reform.
A study prepared for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation by the State Health Access Data Assistance Center at the University of Minnesota breaks down the trends in insurance coverage for Americans between 2000 and 2008. Overall, the data suggests that the number of uninsured has declined while the average total premium cost for insurance coverage has increased significantly. To read the full report, click here.