Sebelius's Claim that Insurance Premiums are 16% Lower Than CBO Projected

Estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office are considered the gold standard in Washington. The budget impact of every bill voted on by Congress is calculated by CBO analysts — and their findings often make a difference in whether legislation passes or not.

That’s why politicians often tout CBO’s estimates. So we were curious last week when Secretary Sebelius cited a CBO projection of insurance rates — and how actual premiums turned out to be lower than expected. What’s the source of this factoid?

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HHS directed The Fact Checker to a report released in September by the HHS Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), which stated that “premiums tax credits will be more than 16 percent lower than projected.” The report explained that “the weighted average second lowest cost silver plan for 48 states (including DC) is 16 percent below projections based on the ASPE-derived Congressional Budget Office premiums.”

Read the full story here: http://wapo.st/1e38SeK

Source: The Washington Post