06.13.11

Experts And The Public Agree: Democrat Health Care Plan Adds To Deficit

“Health reform is part of deficit reform.” President Barack Obama, Remarks to the Families USA Conference (January 27, 2011)

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“How, then, does the ACA magically convert $1 trillion in new spending into painless deficit reduction? It's all about budget gimmicks, deceptive accounting, and implausible assumptions used to create the false impression of fiscal discipline.” Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Joseph Antos, and James C. Capretta, “Health Care Repeal Won't Add to the Deficit” (January 19, 2011)

“Rising health costs will put tremendous pressure on the federal budget during the next few decades and beyond. In CBO’s judgment, the health legislation enacted earlier this year does not substantially diminish that pressure.” Congressional Budget Office, Health Costs and the Federal Budget (May 26, 2010)

“[Medicare Chief Actuary Richard] Foster was asked by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., for a simple true or false response on two of the main assertions made by supporters of the law: that it will bring down unsustainable medical costs and will let people keep their current health insurance if they like it. On the costs issue, ‘I would say false, more so than true,’ Foster responded.” Associated Press, “Medicare official doubts health care law savings” (January 26, 2011)

“The idea that Obama's health care law saves money for the government is based on assumptions that are arguable, at best.” Associated Press, “Obama's remarks get a fact-check” (January 26, 2011)

“Trust fund accounting considers the same lower expenditures and additional revenues as extending the exhaustion date of the Part A trust fund. In practice, the improved Part A financing cannot be simultaneously used to finance other Federal outlays… and to extend the trust fund.” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Estimated Effects of the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (April 22, 2010)

“Thus, the legislation’s effects on the rest of the budget—other than [Medicare savings]—would amount to a net increase in federal deficits of $260 billion [from 2010 through 2019].” [emphasis in original] Congressional Budget Office, Letter to Rep. Paul Ryan (March 19, 2010)

“Six in ten Americans think the law will increase the deficit over the next ten years.” Only 11 percent of those surveyed think it will reduce the deficit. Kaiser Family Foundation, The Public’s Health Care Agenda for the 112th Congress (January 25, 2011)

Bottom Line: Obama’s health care plan adds nearly $700 billion to the deficit in the first ten years alone.

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