tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16801508.post7859324121497158478..comments2024-02-26T01:23:43.923-06:00Comments on Loretta Nall: Audio: Loretta Nall on Cultural BaggageLoretta Nallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10598106614871958352noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16801508.post-64141050084765368752009-08-19T04:58:02.150-05:002009-08-19T04:58:02.150-05:00President Obama has repeatedly said that a health ...President Obama has repeatedly said that a <a href="http://regionmap.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">health care </a>overhaul "will be paid for" and that he won't sign a bill that isn't deficit-neutral. But neither the House bill nor the Senate HELP Committee bill meets that criteria. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation, the House bill as introduced would add a net $239 billion over 10 years to the deficit, while the HELP Committee bill racks up more, <a href="http://letsgopeace.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">$597 billion over 10 years</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://settlementsguide.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Obama</a> has also said he has "identified two-thirds of those costs to be paid for by tax dollars that are already being spent right now." But "identified" is the operative word. These savings are estimates and whether around $650 billion (about two-thirds of the cost of health care over 10 years) can be saved remains to be seen. Most of the money would come from <a href="http://comparingfree.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Medicare</a>, but cuts in payments to insurers and practitioners aren't popular measures that move easily through Congress.onlique estefanhttp://regionmap.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com