It's the US, any reform at all just comes out as giveaways to whoever has the lobbying power or who's vote can be bought..
Regardless of what anyone says, the total cost of this will wind up being at least 50% higher. Why? Because in election years whatever group is benefitting from this will ask for spending to be increased on it. Look at the promises that were made for social security when it came out. None of those numbers panned out in the long run because congress kept increasing benefits. Spending on any social program that benefits bloc voters, as this one will, always increases.
Nothing will stop the downfall of this nation. Those in power (not just politicians) want it to go down, and the people have no power when their voice is limited to once every two or fours years. No power at all. Trade until it is no longer working due to low volume, while staying debt-free and stashing assets out of this country. Whether it takes two years or twenty, the time willcome when you have to decide if America is worth staying in because it was once a better nation.