[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 30 (Thursday, March 17, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 17, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                 STEARNS BILL WOULD SAVE MONEY AND JOBS

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with my colleagues 
the results of a comprehensive new study conducted by Lewin-VHI, the 
country's leading health care consulting firm, contrasting Stearns-
Nickles H.R. 3698 proposal, the Consumer Choice Health Security Act, 
with the President's health care reform plan. This study was presented 
before the Senate Finance Committee on March 15.
  This independent study shows that our bill would save money and jobs; 
while the President's plan would cost jobs, and reduce wages. The 
Clinton employer mandate would result in the elimination of between 
155,000 to 349,000 jobs and low-wage retail and service workers would 
on average experience $243 per year in lost wages. In fact, 88 percent 
of this employer mandate would be passed on to the consumer in the form 
of lower wages.
  By comparison, our bill would not eliminate jobs, would not reduce 
wages, and would save the average family $643 per year in health care 
costs. In fact, by 1998--the first year the plan would be fully 
operational--under the consumer choice plan overall household spending 
would decrease by $35.5 billion. However, under the Clinton plan 
household spending on health care would only decrease by $7.7 billion.
  The ``Consumer Choice'' plan offers universal coverage through a 
refundable tax credit while reducing health care costs for all income 
groups. Mr. Speaker, I think it is clear that the ``Consumer Choice'' 
plan offers Americans what they want and does so in a more cost-
effective manner.

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