All August long we have heard cries of how much our health care reform is going to cost. The number thrown around most seems to be $1.6 trillion over the next 10 years. However, President Obama has often said that the cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of overhauling our Nation's health care delivery system. He says the bill he signs will be deficit neutral, and will actually save the American people money over time.

Well, according to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report, the President might be on to something. The CBO is an independent Congressional agency charged with reviewing our Nation's budgets and spending bills. Recently, Congressman Dave Camp (R-MI) requested they take a look at a proposed change to Medicare part D coverage. This is what many seniors use to pay for their drug coverage. And what the CBO found was very interesting.

According to their report, the House's Affordable Health Choice Act of 2009 "would collectively save the federal government about $30 billion over the 2010–2019 period." Now granted, they also said that individual premiums (price per drug) would increase over that period, but each Medicare recipient would see their overall drug spending decrease.

To some $30 billion may sound like a drop in the bucket when looking at the shear size of this bill, however $30 billion is nothing to scoff at, and it shows that our health care reform is real change that will save people money. Indeed, roughly 40 million people will have more money in their pocket if this measure passes. That is a whole lot more people than the "15% of Americans" number that the Republicans like to tout.

This is just another reason why health care reform must happen now. This is a once-in-20-year moment, and quite frankly, we can't afford to let it pass us by. Inaction is just too expensive.

--Newell for Congress campaign