The Congressional Budget Office, the non-partisan agency that "scores" the costs and effects of legislation, yesterday announced that the Senate Finance Committee's health care reform legislation would cost $829 billion over 10 years, is fully paid for, and reduces the federal deficit by $81 billion. The legislation also, as it did before the committee markup began, would expand coverage to 91% of all those residing in the U.S., with 25 million people remaining uninsured at the end of the 10 years. In May, hospitals agreed, as their portion of shared responsibility to help fund the expansion of coverage, to $155 billion in Medicare payment cuts, which was targeted to the achievement of at least 94% of all those residing in the country receiving coverage. AHA President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock today said, "We remain concerned about the coverage numbers, and we will continue to work with Chairman Baucus as the process moves forward to address this critical issue." The Finance Committee is expected to report out the bill next Tuesday. The bill will then be combined with legislation from the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee and taken to the Senate floor, perhaps later this month.