Senate Health Bill Comes In at $849 Billion

SenateMajority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) health care reform proposal willcost $849 billion over 10 years but cut the deficit by about $127billion, leadership aides announced Wednesday afternoon.

TheCongressional Budget Office cost estimate, from which Reid draws hisanalysis, also concluded that the health care reform bill would helpmore than 94 percent of Americans get health insurance coverage andreduce the rolls of the uninsured by 31 million people.

The deficitreduction number was particularly surprising, given the Senate Financebill, which was scored at $829 billion, would have saved only $81billion over 10 years. The House bill was scored at a cost of more than$1 trillion.

Reid is expected to vet the bill at a special Democratic caucus at 5 p.m.