Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

A report authored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) showing that healthcare costs will increase under a newly passed reform law should have been released before the law was passed, said Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) during a phone interview with Talk Radio News Service on Wednesday.

"I think it's a shame that the report was released after the vote; clearly it was important," Cassidy said. "It was, if you will, a damning indictment [of the legislation]."

The 38-page analysis conducted by the chief actuary at CMS, Rick Foster, concludes that healthcare spending will represent 21% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2019. According to the report, that figure equals a 0.2% increase -- or $311 billion -- over the level that would be reached without reform in place.

During the nearly year-long debate over the legislation, the President frequently assured the public that his plan would bend the nation's healthcare cost curve down. But now, said Cassidy, Americans may start to lose faith in the administration's ability to be forthright.

"[The administration's] central premise was that they were going to lower costs," he said. "Now, integrity and faith in government are key things, trust in government is a key thing. If we're not gonna be able to trust them on this...what does that mean about other big policy decisions?"

Click here to listen to more of the Congressman's interview.