Deviating from the official script, and committing a possibly career killing act of honesty, Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf says Congress’ current version of ObamaCare will actually increase costs:
Instead of saving the federal government from fiscal catastrophe, the health reform measures being drafted by congressional Democrats would worsen an already bleak budget outlook, increasing deficit projections and driving the nation more deeply into debt, the director of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said this morning.
Under questioning by members of the Senate Budget Committee, CBO director Douglas Elmendorf said bills crafted by House leaders and the Senate health committee do not propose “the sort of fundamental changes that would be necessary to reduce the trajectory of federal health spending by a significant amount.”
“On the contrary,” Elmendorf said, “the legislation significantly expands the federal responsibility for health-care costs.”
….the reform measures put forth so far would not fulfill their pledge to “bend the cost curve” downward, Elmendorf said. Instead, he said, “The curve is being raised.”
The CBO is the official arbiter of the costs of legislation, and Elmendorf’s stark testimony is certain to undermine support for the measures even as three House panels begin debate and aim to put a bill on the House floor before the August recess.
Maybe there are some people left in Washington that actually care about their reputations. After months of listening to the Obama administration’s nonsense about reducing the deficit by taking over healthcare, it’s refreshing to hear someone actually testify during this debate that such ideas are ridiculous. Kudos for Mr. Elmendorf for calling it like he sees it.
There are growing signs that the ObamaCare Express may be stalling as voters learn more about the costs and other heretofore undisclosed features that reveal the scheme to be a blatant government takeover of the world’s finest medical delivery system.
