Comments on: Paying for Health Reform II

By: Baucus Bill: Four Steps in the Right Direction

Baucus Bill: Four Steps in the Right Direction — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:50:49 +0000

[...] plausible in a health debate, but would be much harder to consider in other budget contexts. As I’ve argued before, a health bill could appear to be fully paid for yet still worsen our long-run fiscal situation it [...]

By: Baucus Bill: Four Steps in the Right Direction « Donald Marron

Baucus Bill: Four Steps in the Right Direction « Donald Marron — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:22:14 +0000

[...] seems plausible in a health debate, but would be much harder to consider in other budget contexts. As I’ve argued before, a health bill could appear to be fully paid for yet still worsen our long-run fiscal situation it [...]

By: How Will We Pay for the Health Care Plan? (Part III)

How Will We Pay for the Health Care Plan? (Part III) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:29:39 +0000

[...] on the trajectory of new spending and offsets, not just the cumulative 10-year budget scores. The second post expressed concern that the offsets used to pay for health reform may include policies that [...]

By: Paying for Health Reform III « Donald Marron

Paying for Health Reform III « Donald Marron — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:02:22 +0000

[...] focus on the trajectory of new spending and offsets, not just the cumulative 10-year budget scores. The second post expressed concern that the offsets used to pay for health reform may include policies that [...]

By: Health is an R&D Problem

Health is an R&D Problem — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:10:44 +0000

[...] Budget Office discusses this argument in the letter than I keep referencing (e.g., here and here): [M]any of the specific changes that might ultimately prove most important [for reducing health [...]

By: Health is an R&D Problem « Donald Marron

Health is an R&D Problem « Donald Marron — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:04:58 +0000

By: Evinx

Evinx — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:02:37 +0000

Our financial deficit is a huge problem; our leadership deficit is even larger. How many senators, congressman, white house staff, cabinet officers, etc have even mentioned your point? THIS is the real problem in Washington (and almost all States).

By: JD Foster

JD Foster — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:30:12 +0000

Donald,

You’ve hit a big nail right on the head, but let me put a finer point on it. The President has proposed a variety of important revisions to the Medicare and Medicaid programs that would reduce their outlays significantly. The President is to be commended for doing so, and the Senate Finance Committee is to be commended for considering these cuts favorably, at least in the abstract.

Both Medicare and Medicaid are wildly unaffordable in their current forms. Projected outlays far outstrip available resources, either those resources dedicated to the programs or even the nation’s ability to pay these benefits.

Therefore, these proposed cost savings from Medicare and Medicaid are important to bring these programs toward sustainability. The savings are not then available to offset other spending.

We cannot acknowledge that projected spending is unaffordable, reduce that spending, and then use the reported “savings” to offset other spending. Not spending funds we do not have does not create a resource to spend.