'Fuzzy math' could drive health bill cost higher
The official $1.1 trillion price tag for the House Democrats' health care bill excludes dozens of unfunded programs that could drive up costs when future congresses look to fund them.
Republicans said the health care bill includes two dozen programs whose funding is listed as "such sums as may be necessary." That amounts to legislative jargon, they said, for "We'll bill you later."
The list of projects ranges from the "No child left unimmunized against influenza" project to 10 programs in the Indian health care system. There are also programs to encourage people to go into nursing and to spur states to restrain medical-malpractice lawsuits.
The tactic is far from new and has been used for years by Republicans and Democrats alike. The health reform examples are just the latest of what has become known as "fuzzy math" - the sort of budgeting that has been drawing extra scrutiny as the economy sputters, federal spending balloons and deficits deepen.
Republican leaders said leaving appropriations for a later date meant lawmakers were voting blind this weekend on health reform in the House. "How can members of Congress cast informed votes on a bill when there is no way to know the true cost to the American taxpayer?" said Rep. Jerry Lewis of California, the top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee.
But Democrats said leaving spending decisions up to future congresses is standard operating procedure under both parties and is the only way to let the appropriations committees weigh priorities. They said authorizing a program doesn't mean it will get money, and they pointed to a host of programs that have never gotten off the ground because Congress has never funded them properly.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...lls-hefty-cos/
'Fuzzy math' could drive health bill cost higher
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