Budget Options Volume 1 Health Care PDF Download

This volume--which expands on one of the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO's) regular reports to the House and Senate Committees on the Budget--presents 115 options for reducing (or, in some cases, increasing) federal spending on health care, altering federal health care programs, and making substantive changes to the nation's health insurance system. The options compiled for this volume stem from a variety of sources, including extensive discussions with Congressional staff; reviews of legislative proposals, the President's budget, and academic literature; and analyses conducted by CBO staff, other government agencies, and private groups. Although the number of health-related policy options shown here is significantly greater than in previous Budget Options volumes, it is not an exhaustive list: Some options could not be included because of time constraints or analytical complexity. The inclusion or exclusion of a particular policy change does not represent an endorsement or rejection by CBO; to ensure impartiality, the discussion of each option summarizes arguments for and against it. In keeping with CBO's mandate to provide objective analysis, the report makes no recommendations. An introductory chapter provides an overview of the volume and offers some important context for understanding the options. Chapters 2 through 12 present those options, organized by broad themes (for example, payment for Medicare services, cost sharing in federal programs, and long-term care). Each chapter is introduced with a page of background information about the theme. The volume is available in multiple formats on CBO's Web site (www.cbo.gov).