$940-billion estimate clears way for House healthcare vote
Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington
The Congressional Budget Office on Thursday estimated the cost of the proposed healthcare overhaul at $940 billion over 10 years, a scoring that clears the way for a House vote as soon as Sunday. Democrats greeted the number with joy because it was less than the $1-trillion price tag that they were using as a ceiling. Republicans immediately pledged to fight the healthcare overhaul through its convoluted parliamentary route in the House and Senate.
“We’re absolutely giddy over the great news we have gotten from CBO,” Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the majority whip, told reporters.
The CBO scoring sets the stage for the Democrats’ push to collect the 216 votes needed to pass the bill. Democrats have pledged to allow 72 hours for public study, meaning the soonest the vote could come is on Sunday, when President Obama is scheduled to fly to Asia. In hoping to win support from conservative Democrats, leaders immediately stressed that the overall bill will cut the deficit by more than $100 billion in its first decade and by $1 trillion in the second decade. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was beaming after she emerged from a caucus meeting with House Democrats on Thursday morning.
“We love their number,” she said of the score from the Congressional Budget Office. “”We told [our members] we would stick with this bill until we had the savings that were necessary. And it took some time. But we are very pleased.”
“I’m pretty happy about the numbers,” Hill said. “That moves me a step forward.”
The bill is closely modeled on the Senate version of healthcare which would expand coverage to 31 million more people. It creates a mandate for coverage and offers subsidies and tax credits to pay for insurance to be purchased through exchanges designed to increase competition. A big selling point is new rules on insurance companies to eliminate caps in payments and to bar companies from dropping coverage because of patients’ preexisting medical conditions. Obama has been lobbying hard to help House leaders win the needed votes and to sell the plan to the public. He delayed his Asia trip by three days and will hold his fourth healthcare rally on Friday.
Polls show Americans opposing the bill, though favoring many of its key components, especially the consumer issues. But the politics on and off Capitol Hill have been brutal and heavily partisan. That is expected to continue through the voting stage.
At a televised news conference, Republican leaders from both houses urged Democrats to vote against the bill, arguing that it was still too costly and that the cuts to Medicare spending will hurt seniors — positions the Democrats reject.
“Republicans in the House and Senate have worked closely together over the past year and we will continue to work closely together to do everything we can do to make sure that this bill never, ever, ever passes,” Minority Leader John Boehner (R- Ohio) said. The fight will take place in both houses, because the Senate will be asked to pass amendments that make the bill more palatable to House Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) warned he would fight to stop the amendments.
Republicans now have 41 votes in the Senate, but the amendments will be offered as a budget reconciliation measure which requires a simple majority rather than 60 votes to pass. House Rules Committee chairwoman Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.), whose committee will put the legislation together on Saturday ahead of the Sunday vote, expressed confidence that the package would clear the House.
She also discounted suggestion that the Senate might not be able to approve the reconciliation package, pointing to a written pledge from a majority of Democrats to push it through in the face of Republican opposition.
“That’s out insurance policy,” she said.
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