The CBO's Potential 'Long-Term SCORE'

Congressman Reid J. Ribble (R., WI) has introduced the Long-Term Studies of Comprehensive Outcomes and Returns for the Economy Act (Long-Term SCORE Act). According to a Congress.gov summary of the measure, the bill "amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to require the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to prepare long-term cost estimates for legislation reported by congressional committees. It also establishes a long-term budget scoring division within CBO. The bill requires the long-term estimates to cover at least each of the next four ten-year periods. CBO currently provides cost estimates over a 5- or10-year period." 

An abbreviated "Dear Colleague" letter from Rep. Ribble is provided below. 

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From: The Honorable Reid J. Ribble
Bill: H.R. 282
Date: 7/15/2015

Long-Term Studies of Comprehensive Outcomes and Returns for the Economy “SCORE” Act, H.R. 282
Health care spending on chronic disease threatens the viability of our economy. Today, more than three out of every four Medicare dollars are spent on treating chronic diseases.

Cosponsors (25): Blumenauer, Collins (NY), Esty, Harper, Hastings, Higgins, Hultgren, Huffman, Jenkins (KS), Katko, Lance, Lawrence, Lujan Grisham, McKinley, Moulton, Paulsen, Peters, Pocan, Rigell, Schakowsky, Scott (Austin), Sensenbrenner, Takano, Webster, Wittman

Supported by: Campaign to End Obesity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American College of Preventive Medicine, American College of Sports Medicine, American Council on Exercise, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, American Society of Bariatric Physicians, Arena Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare Leadership Council, Johnson and Johnson, National Center for Weight and Wellness, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Transitions of Care Coalition, Obesity Action Coalition, Orexigen Therapeutics, Sports and Fitness Industry Association, The Obesity Society, United States Soccer Foundation, Weight Watchers International, YMCA of the USA

Dear Colleague:

We hope you will join with us in our nation’s fight against skyrocketing health care costs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 133 million Americans live with at least one chronic condition, like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis, obesity, and Alzheimer’s. Each year, these conditions account for 75 percent of all U.S. health care spending, and if we do not reduce these costs we may threaten the viability of our health care system. Alzheimer’s disease alone is estimated to cost Medicare and Medicaid $153 billion in 2015, and increase to 31 percent of all Medicare costs in 2050.

There is a real opportunity for cost savings by making modest reductions in the prevalence of chronic disease. For example, we know that a five percent reduction in population-wide body mass index (BMI) could save nearly $30 billion over just five years. If you extrapolate the same reduction over 20 years, the savings could amount to as much as $611 billion. ...