Saturday Update on HR 3962 - health insurance bill getting close to final vote

November 7, 3:43 PMDallas Public Education Policy ExaminerBridgette Wallis

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There was much fanfare this afternoon when the Democratic leadership of the House held a press conference for a final push to get more support for the passage of  HR 3962.  

Speaker Pelosi confidently stated, "We will pass health care reform."

Aterwards, President Obama urged the quick passage of the legislation and claimed, "It is a bill that is fully paid for and will actually reduce our federal deficit."

Brian Baird, a Democrat from Washington, decided to vote against HR 3962 on Friday and released a statement:

This week I spoke with Nancy-Ann DeParle, the President’s chief health advisor and Doug Elmendorf, the director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Although some prominent economists have asserted that premiums on average may go down relative to what they would be without this bill, the CBO has yet to complete its analysis of the issue. Furthermore, just yesterday, the chief actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said he did not think a cost estimate of the House bill would be available before the scheduled vote. This is no small matter. To insist that members vote on this legislation without having cost estimates of Medicare and Medicaid impacts by CMS or an estimate of premium impacts from the CBO seems premature and unwise. Precisely because this matter is so important, it is critical that we do things right, and know what we are doing. At present, unfortunately, I do not believe we have answers to fundamental questions. Another troubling matter is how the legislation will be brought to a vote. As of this writing, only one amendment will be allowed from the Republican side. No other amendments, by either the majority or minority members, will be allowed. I believe that is a mistake. For a matter of this importance, and on which reasonable people can and do disagree, there ought to be more opportunity granted for amendments on both sides. For these reasons, until more information is available on premium estimates and Medicare impacts, I will vote against the legislation in its current form.