Douglas J. Holtz-Eakin

Former Director of Congressional Budget Office, Chair at Council of Foreign Relations and Senior Fellow at Peterson Institute for International Economics

Discusses Economics of Healthcare Reform Debate.  The problem is that 1/6 of our economy is underperforming.  The costs outweigh the benefits and longevity and infant mortality suggest we aren't getting high quality outcomes.  This has lead a large part of Congress to look at slowing the cost growth of healthcare and the related problems of the rising cost of insurance and the fact that many people are not insured.  50 million are not currently insured. In the last year, 60 million were not insured.  Over the past few years, 40 million were not insured.  It's a very complicated problem involving so many players that it is difficult to fully understand.  History will be the judge as to whether the current Congressional approach is the best route to improving our system.