Democrats, especially Blue Dogs worried about the deficit, have been waiting anxiously for the Congressional Budget Office’s score of the final health-care bill, fixes and all — and now it’s here! The bill will cost $940 billion over ten years, and cut the deficit by more than $1.3 trillion over twenty years. It will also cover 95 percent of Americans. Smart person Ezra Klein thinks that “this is the exact sort of score that Democrats wanted, and is in fact considerably better than some had come to expect they would receive.” Indeed, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said last night that the “the lack of CBO numbers” had been “a bigger problem than any internal negotiations over outstanding issues” like abortion, and now that they’re out, and positive, the House is on track to vote on Sunday at noon. They have yet to secure the 216 votes necessary for passage, however, although according to Chuck Todd and friends, the White House only needed five more votes before the CBO score was released.
Congressional Budget Office releases health bill estimates [Politico]
First thoughts: Start the clock [First Read/MSNBC]
CBO: Health-care reform bill cuts deficit by $1.3 trillion over 20 years, covers 95% [Ezra Klein/WP]
