Side Benefit

CBO: Health Care Could Cut Deficit

Baucus rejoices: Reform “is a smart investment.”

Will fiscal conservatives rejoice? The Congressional Budget Office has completed a preliminary analysis of the Senate health-care reform package and says the bill could cut federal deficits by $81 billion over the decade and would cover 94 percent of eligible people. The cost over 10 years would be $829 billion. Blue Dog Dem Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the man who steered this moderate-yet-controversial version of the bill, celebrated the analysis: “This legislation, I believe, is a smart investment on our federal balance sheet. It’s an even smarter investment for American families, businesses, and our economy.” His committee could vote as early as Friday on the legislation.