Comprehensive News feed http://www.cbpp.org/topic/ en-us Copyright 2008 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. All rights reserved. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:00:03 GMT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss The “employer responsibility” provisions of the health reform bill that Senate leaders unveiled yesterday reflect notable progress in lessening the disincentives that the Senate Finance Committee health bill would have created for employers to hire workers from low- or moderate-income families. Significant disincentives to hire or retain such workers remain, however, for a substantial number of employers, a matter that will require serious attention when … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3003 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3003 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:50:36 -0500 Executive Summary The health reform bill that Senate leaders unveiled on November 18 makes health coverage more affordable for millions of households of modest means, as compared to the bill that the Senate Finance Committee approved last month. The amounts that many families and individuals would pay for coverage would be less than under the Finance Committee proposal. For people between 134 percent and 154 percent of the poverty line, however — people with … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3004 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3004 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:52:31 -0500 The health reform bill that Senate leaders unveiled yesterday meets two rigorous fiscal tests: it reduces deficits over the next decade and beyond, and it puts long-term downward pressure on health care costs. The bill would reduce deficits by an estimated $130 billion over the 2010-2019 period and by about one-quarter of one percent of GDP in the decade thereafter, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). This amounts to about $55 billion in 2020 and several … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3005 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3005 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:56:47 -0500 The new Senate health bill marks a major step toward comprehensive, fiscally responsible health reform. It would extend health insurance coverage to 31 million Americans who lack it, reduce the budget deficit, and put long-term downward pressure on health care costs. The bill would reduce deficits by an estimated $130 billion over the 2010-2019 period and by about one-quarter of one percent of GDP in the decade thereafter, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3006 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3006 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:57:46 -0500 The House health reform bill and the next steps for Congress in moving forward with reform are discussed by Senior Fellow, Judy Solomon. Duration: 4:46 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2998 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2998 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:08:11 -0500 Summary The Internet retailer Amazon.com has offered two primary justifications for opposing efforts of a growing number of states to require the company and other online retailers to charge sales tax. Amazon officials have argued that collecting sales taxes would be administratively burdensome. They have also claimed that the company obtains no meaningful benefits from states in which it maintains no facilities and therefore should not have to collect taxes for those … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2990 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2990 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:35:11 -0500 Fox Business Network Interviews Chuck Marr on the Cost of Health Reform http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2997 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2997 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:03:35 -0500 Video Clip: Bob Greenstein Discusses Controlling Costs in Senate Health Reform Bill on PBS’ Nightly Business Report Duration: 2:22 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2969 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2969 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:55:37 -0400 NBC affiliate WVTM in Birmingham, Alabama Cites CBPP on State Income Tax Threshold Duration: 0:30 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2982 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2982 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:55:21 -0500 CNBC interviews Jim Horney on the Economy and the Federal Budget Deficit Duration: 6:02 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2995 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2995 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:55:07 -0500 Increasing the Medicare payroll tax on high-wage earners would represent a sound and well-targeted way of paying for health reform. It would also improve the solvency of Medicare’s Hospital Insurance (HI) trust fund and thereby strengthen this critical program, which provides health coverage for 46 million seniors and persons with disabilities. Hospital Insurance benefits in Medicare are funded primarily by payroll taxes on wages and self-employment income. Workers and … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2996 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2996 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:32:47 -0500 The risk that, without more federal aid, states efforts to address their budget problems could cost the economy 900,000 jobs is discussed by Bob Greenstein, Mark Zandi, chief economist of economy.com, and Senior Advisor Iris Lav. Duration: 21:42 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2994 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2994 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:55:39 -0500 CNBC interviews Jim Horney on the Economy and the Federal Budget Deficit Duration: 6:02 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2995 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2995 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:36:31 -0500 The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is the nation’s most effective anti-poverty program for working families, lifting 6.5 million people — including 3.3 million children — above the poverty line each year.[1] The 24 state-level EITCs modeled after the federal program complement it in combating poverty by reducing taxes for low-income people and providing incentives for work. It is important for policymakers considering a state-level … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2992 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2992 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:08:35 -0500 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2991 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2991 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:43:47 -0500 The Child Tax Credit, designed to help offset the cost of raising children, is worth up to $1,000 per child. Taxpayers eligible for the credit subtract it from the total amount of federal income taxes they would otherwise owe. For example, if a couple with two children would owe $5,000 in taxes without the credit, they would owe $3,000 in taxes with it, because the credit would reduce their tax bill by $1,000 for each of their children. Refundability The child credit is … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2989 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2989 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:54:59 -0500 Summary States face a serious fiscal problem that could force them to institute additional deep budget cuts and tax increases, weakening the fragile economic recovery and harming vulnerable children, seniors, and people with disabilities, among others. The federal assistance that states received for their Medicaid programs under this year’s economic recovery legislation is scheduled to end with a “cliff” on December 31, 2010, and the assistance … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2988 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2988 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:51:05 -0500 An Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) modeled on the federal program of the same name is now offered in 23 states and the District of Columbia as a way to reduce taxes and supplement wages for low- and moderate-income working families. A large body of evidence has shown that the state and federal EITCs serve a number of important public policy goals. States that enact EITCs can reduce child poverty, cut taxes for low-income families, and increase the incentive to work.… http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2987 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2987 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:56:40 -0500 The jobs report for October is discussed by Chief Economist, Chad Stone. Duration: 2:35 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2986 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2986 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:21:05 -0500 A 5.4 percent surcharge on couples with incomes over $1 million, a key financing feature of the House health reform bill, is sound and well targeted. It would affect just a fraction of 1 percent of taxpayers, a group whose incomes have soared and tax burdens have fallen in recent years, and would have only a modest impact on small businesses. Reforming the health care system to provide universal health coverage and slow the growth of health care costs is an urgent national … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2984 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2984 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:09:15 -0500 Summary The health reform bill that House Democratic leaders introduced on October 29 (H.R. 3962) would provide affordable, comprehensive health insurance coverage to 36 million Americans who otherwise would be uninsured, according to the Congressional Budget Office. [1] This is 7 million more otherwise-uninsured people than CBO estimates would gain coverage under the Senate Finance Committee bill. These 36 million Americans include millions of children and parents; for many … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2983 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2983 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:29:54 -0500 Today’s jobs report shows that although the economy turned up in the third quarter, the labor market did not. The unemployment rate crossed into double digits in October, and payrolls shrank for the 22nd straight month. The economy is in a very deep hole and faces a long climb back to full employment. Policymakers can make that climb easier by extending or bolstering key provisions of the economic recovery legislation that the Administration and Congress enacted … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2985 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2985 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:21:02 -0500 NBC affiliate WVTM in Birmingham, Alabama Cites CBPP on State Income Tax Threshold Duration: 0:30 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2982 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2982 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:28:23 -0500 Senior advisor Iris Lav discusses voters’ rejection of TABOR — a strict state spending restriction — in Washington and Maine, and the implications for other states. Duration: 4:00 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2981 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2981 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:08:02 -0500 Duration: 3:32 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2980 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2980 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:25:46 -0500 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2980 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2980 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:08:19 -0500 Sixteen states taxed working-poor families deeper into poverty last year, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Income tax bills on poor families in those 16 states ranged from a few dollars to several hundred dollars, which is a significant amount for a family struggling to make ends meet, the report said. “Undermining families’ efforts to work their way out of poverty is never a good idea,” said Phil Oliff, the … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2977 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2977 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:18:38 -0500 Summary While some working-poor families get help lifting themselves out of poverty through exemptions from state income taxes, in many states they continue to face substantial state income tax liability. An analysis of state income tax systems for the 2008 tax year shows that: In 16 of the 42 states that levy income taxes, two-parent families of four with incomes below the federal poverty line are liable for income tax; In 12 states, poor single-parent families of three … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2976 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2976 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:45:23 -0500 Yesterday’s votes in Maine and Washington show clearly that TABOR’s crippling and arbitrary spending limits remain unpopular around the country. Anti-government groups have made serious efforts to enact TABORs in 20 states since 2004 — and they have failed every time. While these groups will likely target other states in 2010, there is little reason to believe they will have more success. By rejecting TABOR, officially Question 4 in Maine and I-1033 in … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2978 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2978 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:10:32 -0500 The nuances of climate change legislation, and how the Senate and House bills will protect low-income families, are discussed by the Center’s Chief Economist, Chad Stone. Duration: 3:38 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2979 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2979 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:02:32 -0500 Michael Leachman Discusses Stimulus and Job Creation on National Public Radio Duration: 1:17 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2974 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2974 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:31:49 -0400 A new estate tax bill introduced by Representative Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and others would cost $119 billion more over the first decade (2012-2021) than extending the tax under its current rules as the President has proposed, yet would benefit only the nation’s wealthiest 0.2 percent of estates since they are the only ones subject to the tax under the current rules. In subsequent decades, the Berkley proposal (H.R. 3905) would be even more expensive compared to … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2972 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2972 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:57:23 -0500 The comprehensive health reform legislation that House Democratic leaders unveiled on October 29 would make significant progress in three critical areas: expanding health coverage and ensuring that such coverage is affordable, slowing the growth in health care costs, and instituting essential reforms in the health insurance market. Moreover, the bill’s cost is more than fully offset; that is, the legislation would reduce budget deficits by $104 billion over ten years, … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2973 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2973 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 11:59:46 -0400 The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S.1733) introduced by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) represents a notable achievement, as it continues to move Congress forward toward taking needed action to address global climate change. The Kerry-Boxer bill, like the Waxman-Markey bill that the House approved in June, makes the protection of low-income households a basic goal. Unfortunately, the bill in the Senate currently falls short of providing … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2971 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2971 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:59:01 -0400 The Senate Finance Committee’s health reform plan is discussed by Senior Fellow, Judy Solomon. Duration: 4:06 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2968 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2968 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:03:31 -0400 The Obama Administration’s October 30 release of data on jobs created and saved by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which the Administration and Congress enacted early this year, will capture only a portion of the jobs created and saved due to ARRA’s limited reporting requirements. ARRA’s reporting system covers only about 16 percent of ARRA expenditures through September 30. Most of ARRA’s distributed dollars to date have gone … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2970 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2970 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:47:14 -0400 Video Clip: Bob Greenstein Discusses Controlling Costs in Senate Health Reform Bill on PBS’ Nightly Business Report Duration: 2:22 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2969 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2969 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:50:10 -0400 The Senate Finance Committee’s health reform plan is discussed by Senior Fellow, Judy Solomon. Duration: 4:06 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2968 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2968 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:01:51 -0400 Duration: 6:07 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2966 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2966 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:32:39 -0400 We recently updated our long-term projections of federal spending, revenues and deficits, and they confirm what budget experts both inside and outside the government have concluded: The nation is on an unsustainable fiscal course, facing unprecedented deficits that, if left unaddressed, will seriously weaken our economy. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2967 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2967 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:47:08 -0400 Executive Summary Members of Congress are considering extending — and possibly substantially expanding — the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The credit, which is available to first-time homebuyers with incomes up to $150,000 (up to $75,000 for individuals), expires on December 1 of this year. The evidence strongly indicates that Congress should show restraint, especially in considering … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2965 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2965 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:38:52 -0400 A family of three earning $27,465 a year before taxes — that is, at 150 percent of the poverty line — would have to pay $1,318 a year for health coverage under a proposal that Senate negotiators are considering for a merged health reform bill that they would bring to the Senate floor. This is more than such a family would pay under either the Senate Finance Committee health bill or the bill that the Senate Health, Labor, Education, and Pensions (HELP) … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2962 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2962 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:24:19 -0400 A family of three earning $27,465 a year before taxes — that is, at 150 percent of the poverty line — would have to pay $1,318 a year for health coverage under a proposal that Senate negotiators are considering for a merged health reform bill that they would bring to the Senate floor. This is more than such a family would pay under either the Senate Finance Committee health bill or the bill that the Senate Health, Labor, Education, and Pensions (HELP) … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2962 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2962 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:58:19 -0400 Jim Horney Discusses Cost-of-Living Increase for Social Security on National Public Radio Duration: 3:45 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2961 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2961 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:38:03 -0400 The Center’s Chief Economist, Chad Stone, testifies before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on how low-income households will be affected by climate change policy. Duration: 7:24 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2960 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2960 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:25:22 -0400 Two recent, little noticed government reports spotlight the strained living conditions of millions of U.S. families. One report shows that the number of Americans threatened by hunger inched upward for four straight years from 1999 to 2003, with one in eight people falling in this category in 2003. The other report examines a long list of hardships that are tied to poverty status. Our own analysis, combining measures used in that report, finds that 8 million poor and … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1473 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1473 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:43:16 -0400 Administration officials have been downplaying the significance of the $2 trillion in transition costs required by some individual accounts plans, by comparing that cost to the unfunded liability in Social Security over an infinite time horizon, which totals more than $10 trillion. For example, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan responded recently to a question about how the White House would pay for the $2 trillion transition cost by arguing “It's a savings, because … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1453 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1453 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:43:36 -0400 Because of large increases in home heating costs in recent months, the funding level that Congress provided for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) [1] in the recently enacted omnibus appropriations bill for fiscal year 2005 is not sufficient to cover the expected large increases in home heating costs. Many poor households assisted by the program — the majority of which include a person who is elderly or disabled [2] — may face considerable … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1395 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1395 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:45:28 -0400 Overview In enacting the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Congress made several changes in the eligibility determination process for free and reduced-price school meals.[1] (The eligibility determination process has two parts: “certification,” in which children are approved to receive meal benefits, and “verification,” in which school districts obtain documentation of eligibility for a small sample of certified children.) The … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1389 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1389 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:45:37 -0400 Since late December, when the federal Temporary Extended Unemployment Compensation program stopped providing additional aid to individuals exhausting their regular unemployment benefits, a record number of jobless workers have exhausted their regular benefits, gone without federal aid, and received neither a paycheck nor an unemployment check. Based on actual figures through August and the author’s estimates through mid-October: The three-million figure. From late … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1306 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=1306 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:49:22 -0400 Chairman Bingaman, Ranking Member Murkowski, and other members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify on this important topic. The focus of my testimony will be on how low-income households will be affected by climate change policy and the allocation of greenhouse gas emissions allowances. The essential points of my testimony can be summarized as follows: Low-income households bear a disproportionate burden of the costs associated with effective … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2958 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2958 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:57:34 -0400 An excise tax on very high-cost health plans, which the Senate Finance Committee included in its health reform bill, represents a sound way to help pay for health reform. The excise tax finances nearly a quarter of the costs of the Finance Committee bill over the first ten years ($201 billion out of $829 billion) and makes a major contribution to the deficit reduction that the bill would achieve in later decades. It would help to slow the rate of health care cost … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2957 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2957 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:28:37 -0400 On October 12, the Maine Heritage Policy Center released a report that touted Colorado’s prosperity and claimed that its prosperity was the result of TABOR – ostensibly “refuting” the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities work showing that TABOR has been detrimental to Colorado. (Question 4, a TABOR nearly identical to Colorado’s, is on the ballot this November in Maine.) The Maine Heritage report is misleading in several respects, both on data … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2954 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2954 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:03:37 -0400 Recent developments in climate change legislation are discussed by Chief Economist, Chad Stone. Duration: 3:32 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2955 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2955 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:53:59 -0400 Iowa is just one of many states with serious budget problems. Steve Brown reports on expected job loss and cuts in 2010 and 2011; commentary by Nick Johnson. Duration: 1:54 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2953 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2953 Sat, 10 Oct 2009 15:04:18 -0400 Each year, the cost of providing health care, education, roads and other services rises. As a result, state and local governments have to spend more to provide the same level of services. Washington’s Initiative 1033 would dictate the amount of these increases in spending based not on the actual cost of those services, but rather on a rigid “inflation plus population” formula. The measure of inflation that I-1033 would utilize is called the … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2952 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2952 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:49:26 -0400 Under current law, there will be no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in Social Security in 2010 — the first time that has happened since automatic cost-of-living adjustments began in 1975. Several bills before Congress would grant a special increase in Social Security payments for 2010. The inflation data, however, do not support an increase: overall consumer prices have fallen significantly in the past year and are not expected to return to their earlier peak until … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2951 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2951 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:53:19 -0400 The health reform bill that the Senate Finance Committee approved this week, while a major step forward as a whole, contains a requirement that could inhibit the hiring of individuals from low-income families and would place cumbersome burdens on employers. The provision would require employers who do not offer health coverage to pay substantial amounts — apparently up to $4,000 per worker or more — for low- and moderate-income individuals employed at least … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2921 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2921 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:25:55 -0400 A fundamental principle of the bill that the Senate Finance Committee approved today is that it is budget neutral — that is, its costs are fully offset. It pays for the costs of expanding health coverage to the uninsured by redirecting spending and tax subsidies from less productive uses elsewhere in the health sector. Several of the offsets are likely to help slow the rate of growth of health care costs over time. For example, the bill would impose an excise tax on … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2920 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2920 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:41:26 -0400 Each of the major health reform proposals Congress is considering sets standards for the coverage that the insurance plans offered through new health insurance exchanges would provide. To measure whether an insurance plan meets these standards, the bills rely on the use of “actuarial value.” This analysis explains the concept of actuarial value, its strengths and limitations, and how the major health reform proposals would use it. The main observations and … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2949 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2949 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:25:09 -0400 The health reform bill that the Senate Finance Committee approved today includes significant improvements, compared to the original chairman’s mark, in making health care coverage affordable to low- and moderate-income households. It could, however, still leave many such households facing fairly steep insurance premiums and cost-sharing charges that they would have difficulty affording. The bill provides more limited assistance to people purchasing coverage in … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2922 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2922 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:38:12 -0400 The Senate Finance Committee’s approval of an ambitious health reform plan marks a major step toward enactment of legislation to extend health care to tens of millions of people who lack it, strengthen insurance protections for millions more who are underinsured or face exorbitant charges, and begin to address the nation’s most serious fiscal threat — the relentless rise in health care costs. The Congressional Budget Office has reported that the bill would … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2950 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2950 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:49:11 -0400 Click here to view the conference videos. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2948 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2948 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:45:21 -0400 Robb Gray, the Center's state project coordinator, explains TABOR, a strict state spending restriction, and its harmful effect on states. Duration: 4:47 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2947 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2947 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:49:35 -0400 Director of the Center’s Welfare Reform and Income Support Division, Dr. LaDonna Pavetti, testifies on the safety net's response to the recession before the U.S. House of Representative's Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family. Duration: 10:55 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2946 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2946 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:51:05 -0400 Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My testimony will focus on four points: With recent Census data showing increases in poverty and declines in incomes even before Americans began experiencing the worst effects of the recession — and with further deterioration expected in both areas — policymakers face a serious challenge in helping low-income populations cope with the downturn. The recovery act passed in February has kept this serious recession from being … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2945 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2945 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:56:00 -0400 Colorado, the only state with a TABOR, has an economy that is stronger than Maine’s. However, that has nothing to do with TABOR. The strength of Colorado’s economy is largely a legacy of a post World War II public investment boom by the military and federal government. The federal investment left Colorado with a strong infrastructure of high-tech firms and researchers, a young, highly educated workforce, and public universities with well-respected science and technology programs. … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2944 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2944 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:08:52 -0400 The jobs report for September is discussed by Chief Economist, Chad Stone. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2941 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2941 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:36:50 -0400 Today’s jobs report shows that employers will need stronger evidence of a reviving economy before they will start adding workers to their payrolls. Employers shed jobs for the 21st straight month in September (see graph) and the unemployment rate edged up to 9.8 percent. Forecasters expect the preliminary report on gross domestic product later this month to show that the economy began growing in the third quarter, indicating that, technically, the recession … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2939 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2939 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:49:22 -0400 A coalition consisting of several trade associations for foundations and some nonprofit organizations along with a number of large charities has raised objections to a proposal that would help finance improved health coverage for low- and moderate-income people by maintaining the value of itemized deductions for wealthy Americans at its current level. Under current law, the value of those deductions is scheduled to rise after 2010 when the 2001 tax-rate reductions are slated … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2934 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2934 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:45:08 -0400 For a number of years, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) has projected the long-term path of federal spending, revenues, deficits, and debt if current policies remain unchanged. These projections have shown that deficits and debt will grow in coming decades to unprecedented levels that will not only compromise the federal government’s ability to address critical national priorities, but also pose a real threat to the U.S. economy and Americans’ standard of living.… http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2933 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2933 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:53:57 -0400 In this podcast, the federal government deficit, debt, and interest is explained by Director of Federal Fiscal Policy, Jim Horney. Duration: 5:45 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2930 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2930 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The Section 8 Voucher Reform Act (SEVRA), which the House Financial Services Committee approved in July and the full House will likely consider this fall, contains a series of important, carefully crafted measures to strengthen the housing voucher program. Most significantly, it would help and encourage state and local housing agencies to assist more needy families within the available funds, an important improvement at a time of rising poverty and homelessness. In … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2929 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2929 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Summary Maine’s 2009 ballot initiative, “An Act to Promote Tax Relief” (known as TABOR II), imposes tight restrictions on expenditures for the broad range of state and local services that help support Maine’s economy and quality of life. The spending growth permitted under TABOR does not allow for these services to continue at their current levels. Moreover, TABOR II is set to go into effect before the state is expected to recover from the … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2927 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2927 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Maine's efforts to improve its business climate and recover from the recession would be hindered if voters adopt the proposed Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) that is on the ballot in Maine this November, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The measure, known as “TABOR II” because a similar proposal was rejected by Maine voters in 2006, would impose rigid limits on state spending, forcing cuts to education, roads and highways, … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2926 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2926 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The bill the House will consider this week to provide additional weeks of unemployment insurance benefits in states with the highest unemployment rates [1] is an appropriate response to the continuing harsh conditions in the labor market. By the end of September, more than 400,000 workers will have exhausted both their regular, state-funded unemployment benefits and their federal extended benefits without being able to find a job, according to estimates from the National … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2928 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2928 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Summary The House health reform bill (H.R. 3200)[1] includes a number of significant changes to the Medicare program that would enhance benefits and improve the quality of care, as well as shore up the program’s finances. Much of the discussion of Medicare in the health reform debate has focused, however, on various proposals to secure savings in that program, and a number of seniors appear to believe that Medicare “cuts” made in health reform would make … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2925 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2925 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The health reform proposal by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus would place a 35-percent excise tax on the value of health plans in excess of $8,000 for singles and $21,000 for families, starting in 2013; these thresholds would be indexed for inflation in later years. The excise tax is a sound way to help pay for health reform, but it has some shortcomings that can and should be addressed. Policymakers should modify the proposal to avoid unfairly affecting … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2924 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2924 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2919 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2919 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The difficulty Congress is encountering in finding ways to finance health reform legislation is placing in jeopardy the adequacy of the legislation’s subsidies to help low- and moderate-income people afford health coverage and out-of-pocket costs. The plan unveiled today by Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus, reflecting deliberations by a group of the Committee’s Senators, would provide more limited subsidies to help people purchase coverage than … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2922 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2922 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Senator Baucus’ plan is a major contribution to the health care debate, as it would extend coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and improve insurance for millions of Americans who already have coverage — through reforms that deal with matters such as pre-existing conditions — and do so while fully offsetting the costs, and beginning to slow the growth of health care spending. The plan does suffer, however, from two key problems that … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2923 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2923 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 With the release by Senator Max Baucus of his “Chairman’s Mark” on health care reform, which will form the basis for decisions on health legislation by the Senate Finance Committee next week, the details of the plan’s “free rider” requirement on employers have become clearer. The proposed measure would require employers who do not offer health coverage to pay substantial amounts for low- and moderate-income employees receiving subsidies to … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2921 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2921 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 A fundamental principle of the “Chairman’s Mark” that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus released today is that it is budget neutral — that is, its costs are fully offset. It pays for the costs of expanding health coverage to the uninsured by redirecting spending and tax subsidies from less productive uses elsewhere in the health sector. Several of the offsets are likely to help slow the rate of growth of health care costs over time. For … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2920 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2920 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Today’s report on second-quarter economic growth shows that the economy is no longer in free fall. It also provides evidence that the economic recovery legislation that the Administration and Congress enacted earlier this year is doing what it was reasonably expected to do. No mainstream economist believed that the recovery measures would produce an immediate turnaround in the economy, but they did expect them to slow the downward spiral and help generate a turnaround sooner than … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2882 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2882 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2919 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2919 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The budget reconciliation process in Congress is explained by Director of Federal Fiscal Policy, Jim Horney. Duration:  4:43 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2918 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2918 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 One of the key cost-saving provisions Congress is considering as part of health reform legislation would eliminate the large overpayments Medicare makes to the private “Medicare Advantage” health plans that serve some Medicare beneficiaries. While private plans ostensibly were brought into Medicare to reduce costs, they actually increase Medicare spending because it costs substantially more, on average, to cover a Medicare beneficiary through a private plan … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2917 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2917 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 As a result of a shortfall in funding for the Housing Choice Voucher Program for calendar year 2009, an estimated 400 state and local housing agencies across the country will be forced to reduce or eliminate rental assistance for a significant number of the 500,000 low-income families they serve. While landlords may absorb some of the cuts through reduced rents, the burden will fall primarily on low-income families, often in the form of sharply increased rental costs. … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2916 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2916 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2915 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2915 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Poverty increased, median household income fell, and the percentage of Americans with employer-based health coverage continued to decline in 2008, according to Census data for 2008 issued today. The figures reflect the initial effects of the recession. Median household income declined 3.6 percent in 2008 after adjusting for inflation, the largest single-year decline on record, and reached its lowest point since 1997. The poverty rate rose to 13.2 percent, its highest level … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2914 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2914 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The Census Bureau reported today that 46.3 million U.S. residents lacked health insurance in 2008, an increase of 632,000 over the previous year. [1] Nearly 6.6 million more people were uninsured in 2008 than in 2001, when the previous recession hit bottom. The proportion of the population without health insurance climbed to 15.4 percent in 2008, slightly above (but not statistically different from) the 15.3 percent rate in 2007 and considerably above the 14.1 percent … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2913 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2913 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Robert Greenstein discusses today’s grim Census Bureau report that shows the nation lost substantial ground in 2008 on poverty, median income, and the number of people who are uninsured. Several aspects of the Census report are highlighted. Duration: 11:59 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2912 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2912 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Today’s grim Census Bureau report shows the nation lost substantial ground in 2008 on poverty, median income, and the number of people who are uninsured. Several aspects of the Census report stand out. The number of people living in poverty jumped by 2.6 million to 39.8 million — the highest since 1960. The poverty rate — the percentage of people living in poverty — also rose, to 13.2 percent, which is its highest level since 1997. Similarly, real … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2911 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2911 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The Medicare Part D Low-Income Drug Subsidy (LIS), Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), and Food Stamps[1] can play important roles in improving the health and well-being of low-income seniors and people with disabilities. Together, these programs can provide several thousand dollars a year in benefits and can significantly increase a low-income Medicare beneficiary’s ability to make ends meet. Unfortunately, all three programs suffer from very low participation rates among … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2909 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2909 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Although meant chiefly to help the broad economy, the stimulus plan Congress enacted earlier this year (the American Recovery and Re-Investment Act of 2009, or ARRA) had the important secondary effect of significantly ameliorating the recession’s impact on poverty. This analysis, which comes one day before the Census Bureau will release updated poverty figures (for 2008), examines seven of the recovery act’s provisions — two improvements in unemployment insurance, three tax … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2910 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2910 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Two-thirds of the nation’s total income gains from 2002 to 2007 flowed to the top 1 percent of U.S. households, and that top 1 percent held a larger share of income in 2007 than at any time since 1928, according to an analysis of newly released IRS data by economists Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez.[1] During those years, the Piketty-Saez data also show, the inflation-adjusted income of the top 1 percent of households grew more than ten times faster than the income of the bottom 90 … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2908 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2908 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 While an employer responsibility requirement is an essential component of health care reform, a proposal included in the new health reform package that Senator Max Baucus unveiled this weekend would have serious consequences, particularly for low-income and minority workers and women. Under the proposal, employers who do not offer health coverage would have to pay the full cost of the subsidies provided to employees who purchase coverage through the new health insurance exchange and qualify … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2907 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2907 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The jobs report for August is discussed by chief economist Chad Stone. Duration: 2:54 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2906 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2906 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 The House health reform bill (H.R. 3200)[1] would reduce the ranks of the uninsured by 37 million by 2019 as compared to under current law, the Congressional Budget Office says, meaning that 97 percent of the non-elderly population would have health insurance.[2] One particularly vulnerable subset of the uninsured, older adults aged 55-64, would especially benefit under the House bill. While individuals aged 55-64 are less likely to be uninsured than younger people, … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2905 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2905 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400 Today’s employment report shows little evidence that the emerging economic recovery is reviving the job market. Although job losses continued to moderate in August, the percentage of Americans with a job reached its lowest level since 1984. Economic activity seems to be increasing, but employers remain reluctant to hire, and people who want to work remain discouraged about their prospects of finding a job. Improvements in the labor market typically lag behind a … http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2904 http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=2904 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400