Gov’t analysis finds health spending would keep growing; casts doubt on Medicare savings
By Ricardo Alonso-zaldivar, APFriday, December 11, 2009
US health care tab to keep growing under overhaul
WASHINGTON — A new government report is sending a sober economic warning to Democrats trying to push President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul plan through the Senate.
The analysis from nonpartisan economic experts at the Health and Human Services Department concludes that the nation’s health care tab will grow more rapidly under the Democratic plan senators are debating. It also calls into question the Democrats’ plan to squeeze $493 billion in savings from Medicare over 10 years, saying it “may be unrealistic.”
In more bad news, the report released Friday warns that a new long-term care insurance plan included in the legislation could “face a significant risk of failure.” The silver lining: The bill provides coverage to 93 percent of Americans.
Tags: Barack Obama, Government Programs, Government-funded Health Insurance, Health Care Reform, North America, Political Issues, United States, Washington
