Health Bill to Shave $130B Off Deficit in Decade: Hoyer

The Congressional Budget Office numbers aren’t in yet, but House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer assures wary legislators that health care reform will save billions, even trillions, over the next 20 years. His statement comes as House Democrats try to wrangle the 10 additional votes needed to pass the bill, which is scheduled for a vote on Sunday. Hoyer tells the Wall Street Journal that the Dems' latest version cost $940 billion over a decade and would decrease the deficit by $130 billion in the first 10 years.

In 20 years, Hoyer claims, health care reform would shrink the deficit by $1.2 trillion. The Democrats have made gains toward passage in the last day, with the promised yea of Dennis Kucinich and a switch from anti-abortion Rep. Dale Kildee, who is now “convinced” that the legislation adequately restricts federal funding of abortion. Kildee’s move could signal a change of heart in the Stupak bloc, which would aid the Dems’ search for 216 votes. (More Steny Hoyer stories.)