Health Reform

Health Reform Essential For Reducing Deficit and Slowing Health Care Costs

Because rising health care costs represent the single largest cause of the federal government’s long-term budget problems, fundamental health reform must be part of any budget solution.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Senate and House health reform bills would reduce deficits both over the decade from 2010 through 2019 and after that. Both bills also contain a wide range of measures to restructure the U.S. health system and slow the growth of health care costs, particularly Medicare costs.  Read more

Related:

• Using Reconciliation Process to Enact Health Reform Would Be Fully Consistent With Past Practice
• Major Insurance Market Reforms Will Not Work Unless They Are Part of Broader Health Reform
• Changes to Excise Tax on High-Cost Health Plans Address Criticisms, Retain Long-Term Benefits

Background

The United States has the world’s most expensive health care system, yet 46 million Americans are uninsured, millions more lack access to affordable, quality care, and rising health care costs are the single biggest cause of the dangerously large deficits forecast for coming decades.  The goal of health reform is to provide affordable, high-quality coverage for all Americans while also slowing the growth of health care costs.