Report: Slight cost increase in Senate health bill

AP on Yahoo ^ | 1/9/10 | Darlene Superville - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON – The Senate's plan to expand health coverage to 34 million more Americans would raise costs slightly, government economic experts said in a report Saturday.

Over time, cost-cutting measures could start to reduce the annual increases in health care spending, offering the possibility of substantial savings in the long run. At the same time, however, some of the Senate's Medicare savings could be unrealistic and cause lawmakers to roll them back, according to Medicare's top number crunchers.

The study found that health spending, which accounts for about one-sixth of the economy, would increase by less than 1 percent than it otherwise would over the coming decade even with so many more people receiving coverage.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the report shows the Senate bill would slow the rate of health care costs, strengthen Medicare and provide millions more people with insurance coverage.

President Barack Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday to play up the brighter side of the overhaul he hopes to sign in time for his first State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in a matter of weeks.

[La Lydia]

Posted SATURDAY AFTERNOON by AP.

[Tarpon]

Wait until the hopey - chngers get the bill ... Then the real fun begins.

REPARATIONS are never a good idea.

[FreedBird]

Someone has to pay more. More doctors will be needed.
The people who played by the rules during their lives will be screwed.

[screaminsunshine]

For a Cheeseburger today they will gladly pay you on Wed.

[goodnesswins]

“More doctors will be needed.”.....HA.....under any national health care....doctors will be fleeing to freer communities where they can practice WITHOUT gov’t interference.

[gthog61]

and “government” experts/economists don’t have ANY BIASES WHATEVER regarding which way they might be inclined to spin the numbers

[gthog61]

and “government” experts/economists don’t have ANY BIASES WHATEVER regarding which way they might be inclined to spin the numbers

[originalbuckeye]

‘Cost cutting measures’???

You mean like denying care all over the place? Americans are going to rue the day they put Government in control of health care. We MUST stop this Bill from coming, but how?

[NormsRevenge]

lol

This was a late FRiday item too..

(D-N.D.) Rep. Pomeroy touts bill to block ‘boneheaded’ EPA emissions rules
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2424716/posts

[Tolsti2]

All these predictions.. Stimulus failure anyone?

[goodnesswins]

but, how?"

Torches, tar, feathers and pitchforks?

[NormsRevenge]

Hell, things are looking so rosy, time for stimulus 2. :-}

[hometoroost]

They’re already doing it due to low reimbursement rates. 40% of US primary care docs are not US trained and the lowest number I’ve heard is that we’re currently about 17,000 primary care docs short.

[Logical me]

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the report shows the Senate bill would slow the rate of health care costs, strengthen Medicare and provide millions more people with insurance coverage.

Pure BS. What will happen is doctors will quit the system. No tort reform. The only way cost will be reduced is to reduce payments to hospitals, doctors, and their staff. This does not include the huge cost to doctors for facilities and equipment. So much wrong with this health care bill it drives me crazy.

[Freddd]

Couldn’t get past more than a couple of sentences.

‘government experts’, ‘could’ decrease....

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

[pabianice]

More lies from

[originalbuckeye]

I guess so. Tea Parties, writing to Congressmen/Senators, calls to offices,etc., haven't worked at all. My only consolation is that Conservatives will have no responsibility at all for the aftermath. When the majority of Americans DETEST the Dems maybe WE can get more traction and overturn all this idiocy.

[Freddd]

In the storm of the daily news flow: unemployment; terrorists on planes,

terrorists being tried in our courts, terrorists shooting our soldiers on a U.S.

base; the president vacationing in Hawaii in the midst of the Pantie Bomber

crisis, playing golf and basketball, cool as a cucumber; corruption in his Cabinet,

Timothy Geitner the tax cheat again; a failed $800 billion plus stimulus; the

secretive, partisan, unconstitutional health care bill being finalized behind

closed doors between Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the President despite his

repeated assurance of transparency; it is easy to miss the real storm brewing:

the overwhelming tax increases headed our way on January 1, 2011. This isn’t

just a storm, my friends, it’s a tsunami.

[originalbuckeye]

I am a lab technologist. Every Doctor with whom I have had contact in my 35 year career has said they would retire before letting the Government dictate their practice. With the shortage we already have, I just can't imagine the future under Obamacare.