CBO says Senate reform bill to cost $849 billion and cut the deficit by $127 billion

Roll Call : "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) health care reform proposal will cost $849 billion over 10 years but cut the deficit by about $127 billion, leadership aides announced Wednesday afternoon. The Congressional Budget Office cost estimate, from which Reid draws his analysis, also concluded that the health care reform bill would help more than 94 percent of Americans get health insurance coverage and reduce the rolls of the uninsured by 31 million people" (Pierce, 11/18). 

The Washington Post reports that the news came from a leadership aide: "The aide did not release a formal cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office, saying Reid was still awaiting a final report. But, he said, Reid has 'received very good news from CBO confirming that we have produced a fiscally responsible bill that reduces the deficit, extends coverage to millions of Americans and meets the President's cost test.' Complicating the Senate's timetable was the absence of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who flew home because of a family medical emergency. A Baucus spokesman said it was unclear when Baucus, whose committee drafted one of two health care measures in the Senate, would be able to return to Washington. Because Republicans have threatened to filibuster the health package, Reid needs all 58 Democrats and two independents to be present and voting yes in order to prevail on the procedural motion that would formally begin debate" (Montgomery, 11/18)

Politico: "Reid was briefing the Democratic caucus on details of his bill at 5 p.m. and it's expected to include a public option, with a chance for states to opt-out of coverage; a mandate requiring individuals to own insurance; and subsidies to help low- and middle-income Americans buy coverage. Now Reid must hope moderate Democrats who hold the key to reform will agree to go ahead with a key test vote on the bill as early as Saturday"  (Budoff Brown and Raju, 11/18).

The New York Times: "Mr. Reid spent part of Wednesday meeting with a few Democrats who have not yet publicly agreed to support a motion to bring the bill to the Senate floor for debate. Democrats suggested that Mr. Reid was close to securing the 60 votes that he needs to win approval for such a motion" (Herszenhorn, 11/18).

The Wall Street Journal: "Mr. Reid held meetings throughout the day, including one with Sens. Ben Nelson, (D, Neb.), Mary Landrieu, (D, La.) and Blanche Lincoln, (D, Ark.) -- all centrist Democrats. ... The Democratic leader has spent weeks melding separate bills from the Senate health committee and the Finance panel, trying to find compromise on dozens of difficult issues. His health-care remake faces rough going in the Senate, with Republican leaders determined to use every available tactic to delay or derail the bill" (11/18).