CNN:
One of the Democratic advisers told CNN there is fear within the party that the president’s signature issue is “on the rocks” because of dramatically high cost estimates for separate bills being drafted by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts and Max Baucus, D-Montana.
The Congressional Budget Office’s estimate for the Kennedy bill — that it will cost $1 trillion and yet leave millions of Americans without health insurance — has given Republicans strong political ammunition to charge reform may be too expensive at a time of massive federal deficits.
Um…yeah…it’s gonna cost LOTS of money plus reduce choice for the average buyer — obviously we must rush this brilliant idea through Congress. If even some of the Democrats are balking at these costs, you know there’s serious money being discussed here. 😉
I still don’t see how making insurance companies compete will reduce choices. Competition is the instrument that creates capitalism.
Also, the CBO analysis of Kennedy’s bill did not include the public option. CBO tells Kennedy that here.
The CBO states a public option could have substantial effects on their analysis, but since the Kennedy bill doesn’t include the public option their analysis and cost does not either.