[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 8 (Thursday, February 3, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 3, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               TOWARD A COMPASSIONATE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

  (Ms. LONG asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. LONG. Mr. Speaker, last week President Clinton stood before this 
House and reinforced his commitment to providing health care coverage 
to every U.S. citizen. His explicit challenge was for this body to pass 
a health care bill that will extend coverage to the estimated 35 
million people who are presently uninsured, and reform our system to 
ensure that no one's health care security can ever be taken away.
  Under the present system, many uninsured persons are forced to go 
without care until their situation requires emergency attention, which 
is generally too late and always more expensive. When this happens the 
costs are either paid out of pocket, causing financial ruin for that 
person and their family; or are shifted to the State and other insured 
persons, in which case we all pay.
  The President's call for universal coverage is understandably clear. 
America presently has the best health care providers in the world, but 
unfortunately the prohibitive costs of insurance locks tens of millions 
of people out of the care they provide, and this is simply 
unacceptable. And even though the majority of uninsured people have 
some ties to the work force, the present system prevents them from 
receiving the affordable insurance and care they want and need.
  Our job now is to work for a bill that will incorporate these 
uninsured people into a system that ensures access at all points in the 
health care process and stresses preventive care. We need now to work 
with the compassion that will include everyone in this system.

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