[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 38 (Tuesday, April 12, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
     WALLET BIOPSY: ANOTHER REASON FOR NATIONAL HEALTH CARE REFORM

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                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 12, 1994

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, here is just another example of why we have 
been striving for health care reform. I received a letter from a young 
man, Gerard Oorthuys, in San Jose, CA, about his experience with our 
current health care system. In January of this year he was diagnosed 
with a defective aortic valve and an aortic aneurysm. Cardiologists at 
Stanford Medical Center told him that he needed surgery as soon as 
possible, for his condition was very advanced. However, when it was 
discovered that his student health insurance's major medical portion of 
the policy had a $20,000 limit and would be unable to cover the entire 
bill, he was referred to county hospital. Here, he was told that he 
would have to wait a 90-day hold period because of the county's 
financial difficulties. After more tests and much stress, Mr. Oorthuy's 
condition was listed as emergent, the 90-day waiting period was waived 
and surgery was scheduled, 2 months after Stanford's initial evaluation 
and 4 months after the condition was discovered.
  Mr. Speaker, yesterday this man was happy and healthy and tomorrow he 
will be financially devastated and most likely uninsurable. We should 
enact a health plan that does not allow this situation to occur. Cost-
share for inpatient care and preexisting condition clauses need to be 
eliminated in a reformed system.
  The attached is a portion of his letter explaining his situation.

       I have no assurance I will be able to find additional 
     health insurance. The student health policy I have will be 
     far past its maximum coverage for this valve-aorta incident. 
     It is unlikely I will find health insurance at any cost, let 
     alone at a cost affordable to us. Additionally, any policy 
     will likely include waivers, exclusions, or waiting periods 
     for existing conditions. If I have post-surgical 
     complications I will have no insurance coverage for those 
     complications.
       In the past several weeks I have been introduced to the 
     best and the worst of American medicine: from the skills of 
     medical practitioners and the phenomenal scope of life-saving 
     treatments to the withholding of treatment, even diagnostic 
     procedures, for the lack of ability to pay * * * My hope and 
     dreams * * * are tied to my receiving timely care. I very 
     much appreciate your sense of urgency regarding health care 
     reform. For some of us, in fact millions of us, there does 
     indeed exist a health care crisis.

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