New CBO Analysis Shows Higher Premiums Under Democrat Bill

(By Daniel Foster, National Review Online) - The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released new estimates that suggest individual premiums would rise under the Democrat health care bill currently being debated in the Senate.

According to the findings, by 2016 the average per-person premium on individual health care plans would be 10 to 13 percent higher under the Senate bill than they would be under current law. Americans enrolled in small or large group plans under the proposed legislation would see modest cost changes in premiums, ranging from about +1 to about -3 percent.

The new scores provided ammunition to Senate Republicans as the floor debate on the bill began today.

“The bottom line is this: after 2,074 pages and trillions more in government spending, massive new taxes and a half-trillion dollars in cuts to Medicare for seniors, most people, according to the Congressional Budget office, will end up paying more or seeing no significant savings," said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell during remarks on the floor.

This is not what the American people are asking for. And it’s certainly not reform.”