New Report Estimates Health Reform Will Add $340 Billion To Federal Deficit Over 10 Years

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) will add at least $340 billion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years, even if all the cost savings provisions are enforced as written under current law. The reason is that the PPACA does not address the primary driver of health care expenditures and cost growth—population aging. The PPACA is projected to increase federal spending over the decade from $1.16 trillion to $1.242 trillion. These are findings of “The Fiscal Consequences of the Affordable Care Act” by Charles Blahous, Ph.D. of the Mercatus Center . . .