[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 11, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                       HEALTH CARE COST CONTROLS

  (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as we continue the process of 
passing a comprehensive health care plan for all Americans we find 
ourselves stumbling over issues such as how to control the growing 
costs of our health care system. The skyrocketing cost of obtaining 
health care coverage has driven the call for reform. How best to 
control these costs however is a primary component of the President's 
plan and the version of that plan that our committee's are considering.
  When we look at cost control mechanisms, establishing limits on the 
future growth of costs are the answer. This mechanism is effective and 
it also has the benefit of predictability and provides for a more 
stable market.
  There are those who view these types of cost controls as ineffective 
and who are seeking to eliminate them from the plan, however the result 
of that would be merely the continuation of the status quo.
  First, people would continue to pay skyrocketing costs and there 
would be no incentive to control costs.
  Second, small business and families would continue to be the big 
losers.
  Anyone who has ever tried to put together a long-term economic 
strategy for a business or even a government budget can tell you that 
the unknown future costs relating to health care are the most 
frustrating and often budget busting factors in the plan. Our own 
Federal budget is busting at the seams due to the rising costs of 
health care and we will continue down the road to economic ruin unless 
we face up to the reality that health care costs must be controlled.

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