A surcharge on Cadillac plans to help subsidize the currently uninsured is offset by reduced government funding of care to the currently uninsured AND reduced cost-shifting to other private payors. Call it a tax or don't but you can't help ptovide health care or health insurance to your neighbors in need for free.

Some article, I think in WSJ, says the CBO cost projections for the Baucus proposal are more inclusive and accurate than the HR 3200 estimates, so that apples to apples it is probably considerably less expensive to the federal budget.