- 2,176
Budgetary and policy analysts across the ideological spectrum told Fierce Healthcare that while the report is factually correct, it is unlikely to materially take effect.
"I consider this a nothingburger," said Jessica Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.
"Congress always waives it, and they've been waiving it consistently over the years," echoed Bill Hoagland, senior vice president at the Bipartisan Policy Center
Here's the situation: Democratic lawmakers asked the CBO for budgetary impacts to the Trump budget bill, in accordance with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 (Statutory PAYGO). The mechanism ensures a net increase of the deficit by the end of the year will prompt the Office of Management and Budget to sequester funds from certain federal programs, otherwise known as automatic spending cuts.