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- Blog Post
CBO and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) worked together to produce a preliminary analysis of the major provisions related to health insurance coverage that are contained in draft legislation called the Americas Affordable Health Choices Act, which was released today by several House committees.
- Blog Post
Today CBO released a brief that analyzes the effects of changes in the health insurance system on the U.S. labor market. In 2009, about three out of every five nonelderly American are expected to have health insurance that is provided through an employer or other job-related arrangement, such as a plan offered through a labor union.
- Blog Post
In response to several requests, CBO has considered the likely effects on federal spending and health insurance coverage of adding a substantial expansion of eligibility for Medicaid to the Affordable Health Choices Act, a draft of which was recently released by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). (CBOs preliminary analysis of that draft legislation was released on July 2.)
- Blog Post
Yesterday CBO released a letter in response to a request for additional information regarding our analysis of provisions of the Affordable Health Choices Act that would establish a federal insurance program for long-term care. Those provisions are called the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act (the CLASS Act) and are currently under consideration by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Blog Post
A major issue in the pharmaceutical world involves the licensing of biological drugs. (Biological drugs are products derived from living organisms.)
- Blog Post
CBO issued a letter today responding to a request from the Chairman of the House Budget Committee. In December 2007, we issued a report on the nation's 75-year fiscal gap (roughly speaking, the gap between the present value of projected spending and projected revenue, as a share of GDP).
- Blog Post
Yesterday I gave a talk on health care cost containment at a forum sponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform, and spoke specifically about issues in the design of Medicare and Medicaid demonstrations and waivers. Some have misinterpreted my comments as a criticism of the level of cooperation between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Congressional Budget Office. Nothing could be further from the truth: we enjoy and benefit from a great working relationship with CMS.
- Blog Post
Later this week, CBO will be releasing its new Long-Term Budget Outlook. Perhaps the single most important variable affecting the nation's long-term fiscal outlook is the rate at which health care costs will grow in the future. Over the past 30 years, total national spending on health care has more than doubled as a share of GDP. According to the projections we released last month in our Long-Term Outlook for Health Care Spending, that share will double again by 2035, claiming more than 30 percent of GDP.