[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 358 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 358

  Expressing the sense of the Senate that no later than December 31, 
2006, legislation should be enacted to provide every individual in the 
    United States with the opportunity to purchase health insurance 
 coverage that is the same as, or is better than, the health insurance 
 coverage available to members of Congress, at the same or lower rates.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 12, 2004

   Mr. Daschle (for himself, Mr. Graham of Florida, Mr. Kennedy, Ms. 
  Stabenow, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Corzine, Mr. Lautenberg, Mrs. 
Murray, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Levin, Mr. Wyden, Mr. 
Edwards, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Jeffords, Mr. Bingaman, and Mr. 
 Leahy) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
          Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Senate that no later than December 31, 
2006, legislation should be enacted to provide every individual in the 
    United States with the opportunity to purchase health insurance 
 coverage that is the same as, or is better than, the health insurance 
 coverage available to members of Congress, at the same or lower rates.

Whereas the number of uninsured people in the United States has grown to 
        43,600,000, an increase of 3,800,000 since 2000;
Whereas nearly 20 percent of uninsured Americans are children;
Whereas 8 out of 10 uninsured people in the United States come from working 
        families;
Whereas members of racial and ethnic minority groups at all income levels are 
        more likely to be uninsured than their white counterparts;
Whereas the United States is the only major industrialized country that does not 
        guarantee health care to all of its citizens;
Whereas the United States has the highest health care spending per capita, but 
        consistently scores near the bottom in infant mortality and life 
        expectancy when compared with other developed, high-income countries;
Whereas those without insurance are more likely to go without necessary medical 
        care and preventive services;
Whereas millions of Americans who have insurance coverage are underinsured;
Whereas the Institute of Medicine has estimated that the lost economic value of 
        uninsurance is between $65,000,000,000 and $130,000,000,000 each year, 
        and the Kaiser Family Foundation has concluded that uninsured Americans 
        could incur nearly $41,000,000,000 in health care treatment in 2004;
Whereas the financial consequences of uninsurance are disastrous for families, 
        as demonstrated by a recent study that found medical problems were a 
        factor in 45 percent of all non-business bankruptcy filings;
Whereas employer-based insurance premiums grew 13.9 percent between 2002 and 
        2003, the third consecutive year of double-digit increases;
Whereas a recent study by the Commonwealth Fund concluded that small employers 
        that provide health insurance to their employees pay more but receive 
        less for their money while suffering faster increases in premiums and 
        steeper jumps in deductibles than large firms;
Whereas public programs such as medicare, medicaid, the State Children's Health 
        Insurance Program, the Indian Health Service, the Veterans Health 
        Administration, and TRICARE, play a critical role in providing coverage 
        for millions of Americans, but are often underfunded;
Whereas the market for individual insurance policies is extremely expensive and 
        allows for discrimination based on health status, age, and gender; and
Whereas members of Congress and their families have the opportunity to select 
        among many benefit choices and to purchase high quality, group health 
        insurance coverage at reasonable rates: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that no later than 
December 31, 2006, legislation should be enacted to provide every 
individual in the United States with the opportunity to purchase health 
insurance coverage that is the same as, or is better than, the health 
insurance coverage available to members of Congress, at the same or 
lower rates.
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