Washington, D.C. – Ways and Means Republicans sent Speaker Pelosi a letter requesting 72 hours prior to a vote to review an estimate of the financial effects of proposed health care legislation (H.R. 3962), prepared by the Office of the Actuary (OACT) for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) at the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Obama administration has requested that any health care legislation should "bend the cost curve", by reducing future growth in national health care spending. A previous OACT analysis of H.R. 3200, as reported by the House Ways and Means Committee on July 17, showed that the Democrats' bill would increase national health expenditures by an estimated $750 billion over the next 10 years.
 
In the letter, Ways and Means Republicans wrote, "When considering legislation that will forever alter our economy and health care in the United States, we must ensure that the American people have a chance to share their views. Therefore, we urge you to delay consideration of H.R. 3962 until CMS’ Office of the Actuary has made its estimate of such legislation publicly available for 72 hours."

To read the letter to Speaker Pelosi click here. 

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