Conrad says health care bill will help in overall deficit reduction

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, told The Hill on Thursday that passage of health care reform fixes could help improve the budget outlook because the bill takes a "significant step on the debt." He said, "anyone who studies the numbers sees this is an important contribution but it doesn't solve the problem. We still have debt concerns that have to be addressed." 

He wouldn't specify when consideration of President Barack Obama's fiscal 2011 budget would begin, saying it's time to take a break after passage of healthcare reform. 

The Congressional Budget Office released an analysis on  fiscal 2011 budget that within 10 years cumulative deficits would reach $9.8 trillion, although deficits would be $1.5 trillion in 2010 and decrease slightly in 2011 to $1.3 trillion, based on current laws and policies not changing.