On the recordMarch 12, 2010
If I might, we heard just a moment ago from one of our esteemed colleagues from the Republican side that there were no savings in the health care bill. In fact, there are substantial savings, at least according to the Congressional Budget Office, and over time, the American deficit would be substantially reduced. Let me just tell you some of the reasons why. First of all, by extending coverage to most all Americans, you eliminate one of the most pernicious and most difficult cost increases in the system, and that is that the uninsured wind up in the emergency room, usually very, very sick, and that gets to be a very, very expensive matter. That cost is in the system and is passed on to both the Federal Government as well as to those people that are buying private insurance. Also there is a major effort in the legislation to extend the medical technology information systems. We know that that will reduce errors and omissions, and create not only better care but reduced cost. We know that the system will also have a Medicare panel look at ways of reducing the costs in the Medicare system. Finally, there are programs in the system and in the legislation to promote wellness. Healthy people are not expensive. If you are well, you are not going to be increasing the cost of the systems. There are many, many parts of this bill that will significantly reduce the cost, and therefore, this is a good piece of legislation.
