Bloomberg.com reports that Schumer Says CBO ‘Wacky’ on Health Costs, Sees August Passage.
The presumably non-wacky senior Senator from the deficit-ridden State of New York who has voted as Senator for revenue/spending policies that have added a few dollars to the accumulated Federal deficit criticized the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, saying:
"the CBO’s estimate that health- care costs would rise under legislation being considered by congressional Democrats doesn’t take into account savings from preventive care and efficiencies in the system."
Oh, those "savings" and "efficiencies"!
Do not most Americans thank the Almighty regularly that their Government is so concerned with fiscal prudence?
The best arguments for changing the health care "system" involve social, fairness and public health considerations, not theoretical cost savings. Consider the following from the same article:
“CBO’s scoring is a little bit wacky,” Schumer said of the nonpartisan agency’s estimates. “They are not quite fair because they don’t measure the cost savings down the road, just the immediate spending.”
Doesn't every business person get to ignore immediate spending costs, which are certain, and focus on potential cost savings, which are uncertain, from any spending proposal?
Most Americans want to see improvements in the delivery of health care. Mostly, they want 21st Century medicine at 1960s prices. Senator Schumer needs to read about the problems Britain has had with modernizing its health care information technology system- a waste of billions of pounds- and he should visit a dilapidated NHS hospital- before he insists that the CBO is wacky and that we should trust the Party that sure, this will cost a lot now but it will pay for itself in the end.
Improving the quantity and quality of health care the population of the U. S. receives will be costly. It would be helpful to hear that simple truth rather than evasions and silly attacks on the CBO.
In the meantime, let's see more of a focus on the obesity epidemic- starting with junk food taxes/subsidies for vegetables- and let's see the smoker-in-chief set an example of personal responsibility and break his addiction.
Yes you can, Mr. President!
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Senator Schumer, if your new health care system is so wonderful and so financially sound, why don't you pledge to drop your coverage under the Congressional health care system and switch to the new heath care system?
ReplyDeleteCome on, Senator Schumer, show some leadership. Show skeptics that you have the courage of your convictions.
Or is your new health care system good enough for the public but not good enough for Senator Schumer.