CBO Health Care Numbers Are In And Democrats Are Pleased
Bumped and Updated

Well, when you get something that you made to order, you should be happy about what you get.

The full numbers aren't out yet but Democrat leaders in the House are talking them up, no doubt to put pressure on the 'moderate' types.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) just released the first set of Congressional Budget Office numbers to reporters this morning.

The bill would cost $940 billion, and reduce the deficit by $130 billion over the first 10 years and $1.2 trillion in the second 10 years. The deficit numbers Democrats have been most worried about, and will be key to convincing moderates to coming on board with the bill.

Not so fast? [Slublog] - Rep. Paul Ryan's office just issued the following statement (pdf link):

"The Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that there is currently no official cost estimate. Yet House Democrats are touting to the press – and spinning for partisan gain – numbers that have not been released and are impossible to confirm. Rep. James Clyburn stated he was “giddy” about these unsubstantiated numbers. This is the latest outrageous exploitation by the Majority – in this case abusing the confidentiality of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office – to pass their massive health care overhaul at any cost."

I highly recommend this post by economist Greg Mankiw on why claims of deficit neutrality in the healthcare bill are unconvincing.

Whiplash- The CBO report is out. Ed at Hot Air has the details.

posted by DrewM. at 11:15 AM

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