As the Senate opened debate on a plan to overhaul the nation's healthcare system, congressional budget analysts said the measure would leave premiums unchanged or slightly lower for the vast majority of Americans. The findings contradict assertions by the insurance industry that the average family's coverage would rise by thousands of dollars if the proposal became law. The CBO said the legislation would lead to higher average premiums in the relatively small and troubled individual market. But that extra cost would buy better coverage, the CBO said, and hefty federal subsidies would drive down payments by nearly 60% on average for low- and middle-income families, the Washington Post reports.
