03.12.12

Ahead Of Budget Mark-Up, Sessions And Johnson Call For Hearing With Sebelius Over New Health Law Revelations

“The Senate Committee on the Budget is required to report a budget resolution for fiscal year 2013 by April 1, 2012… it is critical that we have a comprehensive understanding of how the president’s health care law will impact this nation’s unsustainable debt course…

Secretary Sebelius was [recently] unable to explain either the cause of the increase [in the cost of premium subsidies] or how the new estimate, along with the termination of the fiscally discredited CLASS Act, would alter the deficit impact of the president’s health care law… Given these revelations, it is essential that the Committee on the Budget conduct a hearing with Secretary Sebelius as soon as possible.” 

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, (R-WI), sent the following letter today to Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad urging him to schedule a hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius:

Text of the Senators’ letter follows:

“Dear Chairman Conrad:

The Senate Committee on the Budget is required to report a budget resolution for fiscal year 2013 by April 1, 2012. Before we act, and as a prerequisite for any fiscal progress in the country, it is critical that we have a comprehensive understanding of how the president’s health care law will impact this nation’s unsustainable debt course.

Last week, Secretary Sebelius testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee regarding the president’s FY 2013 budget proposal. Senator Johnson asked Secretary Sebelius to explain the Administration’s recent estimates of a $111 billion increase in the cost of the premium subsidies. Secretary Sebelius was unable to explain either the cause of the increase or how the new estimate, along with the termination of the fiscally discredited CLASS Act, would alter the deficit impact of the president’s health care law. This is critical information for any financial plan for the country.

Given these revelations, it is essential that the Committee on the Budget conduct a hearing with Secretary Sebelius as soon as possible. It is a major adverse fiscal development that only two years after the president’s health care law was passed, the costs seem to be soaring.

It appears that when the full facts are known, the ominous debt threat the nation faces will be much worse. It is imperative that we have a full hearing to analyze this troubling development.

Very truly yours,

Jeff Sessions, Ranking Member
Ron Johnson, U.S. Senator”

[NOTE: It has now been 1,048 days since the Democrat-led Senate has offered a budget plan for the nation.]