[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 45 (Thursday, March 28, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2970]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING A GOOD IDEA: MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS

  (Mr. MICA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I was going to speak on another subject, but I 
have to comment on the lack of information that the other side has on 
medical savings accounts. I, in fact, as chair of the Subcommittee on 
Civil Service of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, held 
hearings on this. We found that in every instance, for almost every 
State and local government that testified on these, we found lower 
costs, lower premiums, expanded coverage.
  Because it was not a Washington command and control idea, they do not 
like it. Because it does not limit your choices, the other side does 
not like it. Because it is not an old government idea or solution, they 
do not like it. Mr. Speaker, I think if we had a new idea and it came 
up and bit them on the leg, they would not even recognize it. Mr. 
Speaker, this is a new idea. It saves costs. It saves premiums. It is a 
good idea. It is time for it.

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