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Statement: Robert Greenstein, Executive Director and James Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy, on the Final Report from the Co-Chairs of the Deficit Commission
December 1, 2010
The new deficit reduction plan that the co-chairs of the President’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform — former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles and former Republican Senator Alan Simpson — presented today to commission members contains a number of relatively modest … -
Employer-Based Health Coverage Declined Sharply Over Past Decade
December 1, 2010
In September, the Census Bureau released data showing that the number and percentage of Americans without health insurance rose at a record pace in 2009, continuing a decade-long increase. This trend reflects the decline in private health coverage, primarily in employer-sponsored coverage. Although the severe economic … -
Rivlin-Domenici Deficit Reduction Plan Is Superior to Bowles-Simpson in Most Areas
November 30, 2010
The Rivlin-Domenici deficit reduction plan, which a commission of the Bipartisan Policy Center unveiled last week, marks a significant improvement over a plan from the co-chairs of President Obama’s fiscal commission — with the exception of health care, in which the Rivlin-Domenici plan actually is more problematic. … -
Changing Budget Process Won’t Reduce Deficit — Only Specific Policy Changes Can Do That
November 18, 2010
A commission funded by the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts has proposed far-reaching changes in the process by which the President and Congress develop and implement the federal budget.[1] The commission argues that the current federal budget process contributes to large deficits and that reducing the deficit … -
Bowles-Simpson Plan Commendably Puts Everything on the Table But Has Major Deficiencies Because It Lacks an Appropriate Balance Between Program Cuts and Revenue Increases
November 16, 2010
I. Overview and Summary The November 10 plan from the co-chairs of President Obama’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform helps move the budget debate beyond misguided claims that policymakers can tame deficits simply or primarily by eliminating earmarks and “waste, fraud, and abuse.” It also wisely subjects all … -
Some Recent Reports Overstate the Effect on State Budgets of the Medicaid Expansions in the Health Reform Law
October 21, 2010
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), states are required to expand their Medicaid programs to cover all non-elderly adults and children with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty line ($29,400 for a family of four) starting on January 1, 2014. According to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the cost to states of … -
New Deficit-Reduction Plan Would Jeopardize Health Reform
October 6, 2010
Bill Galston of the Brookings Institution and Maya MacGuineas of the New America Foundation recently offered a plan to reduce federal deficits and push down debt held by the public to 60 percent of gross domestic product by 2020.[1] The plan has several commendable features. It explicitly recognizes that it would be unrealistic to hold federal … -
Conference: America's Fiscal Future
October 5, 2010
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Podcast: This Week’s Health Care Milestone
September 21, 2010
January Angeles, Policy Analyst, discusses an important milestone for the health reform law that will take place this week.
Duration: 2:56
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Census Data Show Large Jump in Poverty and the Ranks of the Uninsured in 2009
September 17, 2010
Several points stand out from the data on income, poverty, and health insurance that the Census Bureau released on September 16: Poverty rose by a large amount in 2009, as 3.7 million more people fell into poverty. The number and percentage of Americans in poverty rose substantially, driven by deep job losses and record levels of … -
Media Briefing: Examining the New 2009 Census Data on Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance Coverage
September 16, 2010
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Statement: Robert Greenstein, Executive Director, on Census’ 2009 Poverty and Health Insurance Data
September 16, 2010
The Census Bureau data for 2009 reflect the severity of the recent recession, as poverty rose sharply and the number of uninsured spiked. The new figures somewhat overstate the rise in poverty, however, because they do not count the bulk of direct assistance that the 2009 Recovery Act provided to … -
Johanns Amendment to Small Business Bill Would Raise Health Insurance Premiums, Increase the Ranks of the Uninsured, and Eliminate Preventive Health Funding
Updated September 13, 2010
The Senate will vote tomorrow, September 14, on an amendment from Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) to small business legislation that would repeal a provision of the health reform law designed to raise revenue by reducing noncompliance with the nation’s tax laws. [1] While critics have raised legitimate concerns about some of the paperwork … -
States Should Structure Insurance Exchanges to Minimize Adverse Selection
August 17, 2010
The health reform law (the Affordable Care Act) relies primarily on states to establish health insurance exchanges — marketplaces that provide affordable, good-quality coverage options to individuals and small businesses. But it gives states substantial flexibility in how they structure the exchanges. This paper recommends four steps … -
2010 Medicare Trustees’ Report Shows Benefits of Health Reform and Need for Its Successful Implementation
August 16, 2010
The 2010 annual report of Medicare’s trustees clearly demonstrates that the Affordable Care Act (or ACA, the recently enacted health reform legislation) has greatly improved the financial status of the Medicare program.[1] It also shows that successful implementation of the ACA is an essential first step toward slowing … -
Failing to Extend Fiscal Relief to States Will Create New Budget Gaps, Forcing Cuts and Job Loss in at Least 34 States
Revised August 13, 2010
If Congress does not extend the enhanced Medicaid matching funds in last year’s Recovery Act, most states will cut public services or raise taxes for the fiscal year that begins July 1 by even more than they are already planning – laying off tens of thousands more teachers and other public employees, cutting education funding more … -
Podcast: What Seniors Should Know About the New Health Reform Law
August 10, 2010
Policy Analyst January Angeles discusses how the new health reform law strengthens Medicare and protects seniors. Duration: 4:17
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State-By-State Numbers: Critical Fiscal Relief at Stake In Tuesday’s House Vote
August 6, 2010
States stand to lose significant amounts of fiscal relief if legislation that the Senate approved yesterday, and the House is due to take up next week, fails to become law. The level of losses is shown on a state-by-state basis in the table below. Because of the long and deep recession, states have begun their third consecutive year … -
Statement: Robert Greenstein, Executive Director on the Medicare Trustees' Report
August 5, 2010
The new Medicare trustees report clearly demonstrates that the Affordable Care Act (or ACA, the recently enacted health reform legislation) has strengthened the financing of the Medicare program. It also shows that slowing the growth of health care costs will require substantial additional efforts. … -
Media Briefing: Understanding the Annual Reports of the Social Security and Medicare Trustees
August 5, 2010
Executive Director Robert Greenstein and Senior Fellow Paul Van de Water discuss the annual reports of the Social Security and Medicare trustees.
Duration: 15:46
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Health Reform Expands Medicaid Coverage For People with Disabilities
July 29, 2010
The new health reform law will cover over 30 million uninsured Americans, including 16 million low-income adults and children through Medicaid. A substantial number of the people who will gain Medicaid coverage under health reform have disabilities or chronic health care conditions. Medicaid is … -
“Grandfathering” Rules Strike a Balance for Consumers
July 29, 2010
The new health reform law includes a number of insurance reforms to aid consumers, several of which will take effect this fall. But plans that existed when the law was enacted on March 23, 2010 — known as “grandfathered” plans — aren’t required to comply with some of … -
Federal Spending Target of 21 Percent of GDP Not Appropriate Benchmark for Deficit-Reduction Efforts
July 28, 2010
The average level of federal spending over the years since 1970 — about 21 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) — does not provide a reasonable benchmark for the level of spending that will be necessary or appropriate in the future. The Heritage Foundation has proposed that, in developing its recommendations, the … -
Reducing Health Insurance Tax Credits Would Jeopardize Market Reforms and Cost Controls
July 27, 2010
To help reduce projected budget deficits, some have suggested paring back the tax credits that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 provides to help low- and moderate-income families afford health coverage through new state-based health insurance exchanges. Those deficit hawks recommending this course should set their sights … -
Health Reform Changes to Medicare Advantage Strengthen Medicare and Protect Beneficiaries
July 27, 2010
The health reform law will significantly reduce the large overpayments Medicare makes to the private "Medicare Advantage" health plans that serve some beneficiaries. This will reduce premium costs for other Medicare enrollees and strengthen Medicare's overall finances. The law also includes stronger protections … -
The Ryan Budget's Radical Priorities
Revised July 7, 2010
I. Summary The Roadmap for America’s Future, which Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) — the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee — released in late January, calls for radical policy changes that would result in a massive transfer of resources from the broad majority of Americans to the nation’s … -
Childless Adults Who Become Eligible for Medicaid in 2014 Should Receive Standard Benefits Package
July 6, 2010
Among those who will qualify for Medicaid when the program is expanded nationwide to 133 percent of the poverty line in 2014 are poor and low-income adults who do not have a disability or live with an eligible child, a group that is uninsured at higher rates and has greater health care needs than other uninsured groups. The health reform law … -
Podcast: Testimony of Robert Greenstein before the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
June 30, 2010
Robert Greenstein, the Center’s Executive Director, discusses the need to be careful in addressing budget deficit in a testimony before the President’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform on June 30th, 2010.
Duration: 6:46
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Testimony of Robert Greenstein, Executive Director and Jim Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy before the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform
June 30, 2010
Members of the Commission, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak to you today. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is a nonpartisan research and policy institute that focuses both on fiscal policy and on programs and policies of particular importance to low- and moderate-income … -
Podcast: New Health Insurance Option for Young Adults
June 29, 2010
Health Policy Analyst Sarah Lueck discusses a provision in the new health reform law that will start helping young adults this fall. Duration: 3:04
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What States and the Economy Lost When the Senate Jobs Bill Failed
Updated June 24, 2010
The Senate’s failure to pass its version of jobs legislation, which would have extended federal assistance to states, will force the states – which are struggling with an unprecedented drop in revenues due to the recession – to make even deeper spending cuts and raise taxes even … -
Medicaid Expansion in Health Reform Not Likely to “Crowd Out” Private Insurance
June 22, 2010
Contrary to claims by some critics, the Medicaid expansion in the new health reform law will overwhelmingly provide coverage to people who otherwise would be uninsured, rather than shift people who already have private coverage to Medicaid. Under the new law, beginning in 2014 Medicaid will cover non-elderly individuals with incomes … -
Health Reform Is a Good Deal for States
Revised June 18, 2010
Contrary to claims that the health reform law’s Medicaid expansion will place an unaffordable burden on states, the federal government will shoulder nearly all of the cost of the expansion, which will cover 16 million low-income children and adults while raising state Medicaid spending by just 1.25 percent compared to … -
Young Adults Gain New Coverage Option
June 9, 2010
Under the health reform law, young adults up to their 26th birthday can obtain health coverage through their parents’ health insurance plans. This marks an important shift from the rules in effect now, under which young adults usually lose access to their parents’ coverage once they … -
Podcast: How the Health Reform Law Reduces the Deficit, Part 2
June 1, 2010
Paul Van de Water, a Senior Fellow at the Center, discusses the sources of revenue in the new health reform law. Duration: 4:30 -
Podcast: How the Health Reform Law Reduces the Deficit, Part 1
May 25, 2010
Paul Van de Water, a Senior Fellow at the Center, discusses how the health reform law saves money for the federal government. Duration: 3:53
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Budgetary Concerns Should Not Be An Obstacle to Passing the New Jobs Bill
Revised May 20, 2010
Congress is about to take up a jobs bill that will provide a needed boost to the economic recovery and help people still struggling to find work in a difficult labor market. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sander Levin today released a summary of … -
Understanding the CMS Actuary’s Report on Health Reform
May 17, 2010
The analysis of the health reform legislation prepared by the chief actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been widely misrepresented and misunderstood.[1] This brief paper describes some of that report’s key findings and clears up some of the most common misunderstandings. Does the actuary estimate that … -
Employer Responsibility in Health Reform
Revised May 14, 2010
The recent health reform legislation requires larger employers to share the responsibility for assuring that their employees have health coverage. [1] Large firms that employ full-time workers who obtain subsidized health insurance in the new health insurance exchanges — rather than employer-sponsored coverage — will be required … -
Podcast: Health Reform is a Good Deal for States
May 11, 2010
Policy Analyst, January Angeles, discusses how the Medicaid expansion in the new health reform law is a good deal for states. Duration: 3:58
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How Health Reform Helps Reduce the Deficit
May 10, 2010
The new health reform law will extend coverage to over 30 million uninsured Americans and provide important consumer protections to tens of millions of insured Americans whose coverage may have critical gaps. These coverage expansions will be more than paid for by specific reductions in spending for Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal … -
Podcast: Health Reform Myths & Realities, Part 5
May 7, 2010
Jim Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy, discusses the false claim that the law doesn’t slow health costs because its coverage expansions will increase total national spending on health care. Duration: 2:14
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Ryan’s Response to Center’s Analysis of “Roadmap” Is Off Base
Revised May 6, 2010
We are quite disappointed that, in responding to our analysis[1] of his budget plan, Rep. Paul Ryan accuses[2] the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities of “partisan demagoguery” as well as “factual errors and misleading statements.” Quite the contrary, we applied the same rigorous analytical process to Rep. Ryan’s Roadmap for America’s … -
Key Health Insurance Market Reforms Not Achievable Without an Individual Mandate
Updated May 4, 2010
Some opponents of health reform argue that the new law’s individual mandate — the requirement that individuals must have health coverage or face a penalty — should be repealed but the law’s most popular insurance market reforms kept in place. These reforms will bar insurers from denying coverage to … -
Podcast: Health Reform Myths & Realities, Part 4
April 30, 2010
Jim Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy, discusses the false claim that the new health reform law’s cost estimate should include the cost of preventing a cut in the amount that Medicare pays doctors.
Duration: 2:51
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Podcast: Health Reform Myths & Realities, Part 3
April 23, 2010
Jim Horney discusses the false claim that the health reform law’s Medicare savings are meaningless.
Duration: 3:12
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The Sustainable Growth Rate Formula and Health Reform
April 21, 2010
Some critics of the new health reform law contend that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) cost estimate understates the law’s true cost because the law doesn’t fix Medicare’s flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) payment formula for physicians. Since Congress is certain to enact a fix, these critics contend, its cost … -
No Need to Wait Until 2014: States Can Cover Low-Income Adults in Medicaid Now
April 20, 2010
The new health reform law (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA) includes a new minimum Medicaid eligibility standard that will allow millions of uninsured low-income adults to qualify for Medicaid. The new standard, which takes effect in January 2014, provides coverage for all otherwise eligible individuals with incomes … -
Podcast: Health Reform Myths & Realities, Part 2
April 20, 2010
The false claim that the health reform law uses revenues from Social Security and premiums from a new long-term care insurance program to offset the cost of health reform is discussed by Jim Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy.
Duration: 3:10
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New Citizenship Documentation Option for Medicaid and Chip Is Up and Running
April 20, 2010
A key provision of the Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) is helping to reduce the detrimental effects of a Medicaid citizenship documentation requirement enacted in 2006 that has caused many eligible citizen children, pregnant women, and parents to lose or be denied health coverage. The CHIPRA provision gives … -
CLASS: A New Voluntary Long-Term Care Insurance Program
April 16, 2010
The new health reform law establishes a federal, voluntary long-term care insurance program, known as Community Living Assistance Services and Supports, or CLASS.[1] This brief paper describes the need for CLASS, explains its benefits and financing, and corrects some misconceptions about the program's effect on the federal budget. Why is … -
Podcast: Health Reform Myths & Realities, Part 1
April 15, 2010
The false claim that the health reform law hides the true cost of health reform by collecting its new revenues in the early years and delaying spending until later years is discussed by Jim Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy.
Duration: 2:45
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Failure to Renew Federal Benefits Changes the Map for State Unemployment Insurance Coverage
April 14, 2010
For updated data see: Policy Basics: How Many Weeks of Unemployment Compensation Are Available? Congress’s failure to extend the measures providing extra weeks of unemployment insurance (UI) and subsidized COBRA health insurance coverage for unemployed workers – which President Obama and Congress enacted in the 2009 American … -
Congress Should Act Quickly to Extend UI/COBRA Benefits Through the End of This Year
April 12, 2010
The long-term unemployment rate — the percentage of people in the work force who have been out of work for over half a year and are still looking for a job — reached an unprecedented 4.3 percent of the labor force in March (see the chart). Yet Congress has allowed the Recovery Act measures that provide additional weeks of … -
Efforts to Nullify Health Reform Likely to Fail, But Could Interfere With Law’s Implementation
April 7, 2010
The new health care reform law, known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA),[1] requires most people to have health coverage or face a penalty. This requirement, most often referred to as an individual mandate, is an essential component of the new law. Without it, reforming insurance markets to require … -
Media Briefing: Debunking Claims That Health Reform Will Not Reduce the Deficit
March 29, 2010
Robert Greenstein, and former senior Congressional Budget Office (CBO) officials James Horney and Paul Van de Water, discuss claims that the health reform legislation will not reduce the deficit because of gimmicks in it – despite an official CBO estimate to the contrary. Robert Reischauer, former CBO Director and now President of the Urban Institute, also joins the briefing.
Duration: 20:42
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Holding the Line on Medicaid and CHIP
March 26, 2010
Issued Jointly With The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA; Public Law 111-148), signed into law on March 23, 2010, requires that states maintain their current eligibility standards for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirements apply to adults … -
Health Reform Will Reduce the Deficit
March 25, 2010
Despite an official estimate by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to the contrary, some critics of the new health reform legislation — such as Rep. Paul Ryan and former CBO director and McCain campaign adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin — charge that it will not reduce federal budget deficits because it relies on budgetary gimmicks … -
Student Loan Reform in Health Bill Would Save More Than $60 Billion and Invest in Access to College
March 19, 2010
The health reform legislation heading for a vote in Congress within the next few days includes major reforms to the student loan system that would save more than $60 billion over ten years and invest more in educational opportunity for millions of aspiring students. Under the proposal, the federal government — which now pays banks … -
Health Reform Package Represents Historic Chance to Expand Coverage, Improve Insurance Markets, Slow Cost Growth, and Reduce Deficits
March 19, 2010
The health reform legislation now before Congress represents a historic opportunity to make significant progress in three critical areas: expanding the availability and affordability of health coverage, instituting much-needed improvements to the flawed health insurance marketplace, and taking steps to slow the relentless growth in health … -
Statement: Robert Greenstein, Executive Director, on the Congressional Leadership's New Health Reform Legislation
March 19, 2010
The congressional leadership’s new health reform legislation builds upon the Senate-passed bill to extend insurance coverage to 32 million Americans while reducing the federal budget deficit over both the near and long term. By making critical improvements in the Senate bill, many of which were proposed by President Obama, the new measure covers more people and … -
Private Health Coverage Unstable for Middle Class
March 18, 2010
In about one-quarter of middle-income families with private health coverage, a family member lost coverage at some point between 2004 and 2007, analysis of Census Bureau survey data reveals. Nearly all of these family members ended up uninsured, often for several months. While the survey only extends through 2007, these problems have almost certainly worsened due to … -
Media Briefing: The Ryan Budget’s Radical Priorities
March 10, 2010
Robert Greenstein and Paul Van de Water discuss the radical priorities in Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget proposal in a media call on March 10, 2010.
Duration: 21:34
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Changes in Medicare Tax on High-Income People Represent Sound Additions to Health Reform
March 4, 2010
The President’s health reform plan would raise the Medicare tax rate for single filers with incomes over $200,000 and married filers with incomes over $250,000 — a provision that was included in the Senate-passed health bill — and also would extend this tax to the unearned income these affluent households receive such as income from capital gains, … -
Recession Threatens State Health Care Programs
March 4, 2010
In considering “jobs legislation” in the weeks ahead, Congress will decide whether to extend the temporary increase in federal support for state Medicaid programs that last year’s economic recovery legislation provided. Failure to do so would lead to deeper state budget cuts that cost substantial numbers of jobs, as well as … -
Using Reconciliation Process to Enact Health Reform Would Be Fully Consistent With Past Practice
Updated March 3, 2010
The President and Democratic congressional leaders have determined that the best way to enact comprehensive health reform in the face of solid Republican opposition is to use the congressional reconciliation process to make a limited number of changes to the health reform bill that the Senate passed in December.[1] Despite charges by congressional Republicans and … -
Statement: Robert Greenstein, Executive Director, on the President's Health Reform Proposal
February 23, 2010
The President’s proposal represents the last hope, perhaps for years to come, to enact comprehensive reforms that extend coverage to over 30 million uninsured Americans, provide important consumer protections to tens of millions of insured Americans whose coverage may have critical gaps, … -
Coburn-Ryan Health Bill Would Jeopardize Coverage for Many, While Failing To Reduce the Number of Uninsured Significantly
Revised February 12, 2010
With President Obama’s call for greater inter-party cooperation on health reform, and his announcement that the White House will hold a health care “summit” on February 25, Republican alternatives to the House- and Senate-passed Democratic plans are now receiving more attention. One such alternative is the … -
Health Reform Essential for Reducing Deficit and Slowing Health Care Costs
February 3, 2010
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.[1] President Obama observed at a recent town hall meeting: “If you are serious about reducing our deficit and debt you cannot accomplish it without reforming … -
Major Insurance Market Reforms Will Not Work Unless They Are Part of Broader Health Reform
January 27, 2010
Insurance market reforms are a key element of the comprehensive health reform bills that the House and the Senate have passed. Under the bills, insurers in both the individual and small-group insurance markets would be barred from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, charging higher premiums based on a person’s health status or gender, or … -
Changes to Excise Tax on High-Cost Health Plans Address Criticisms, Retain Long-Term Benefits
January 26, 2010
Under one scenario for Congress to enact health reform legislation, the House would pass the Senate health bill, and the House and Senate would both pass a budget reconciliation bill that includes changes to the health bill that House and Senate leaders have negotiated. One apparent obstacle to this course of action is continued objection by some House members to …
