[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 19, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H6518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   REPUBLICAN HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, both Democrats and Republicans support a 
health care reform bill that would essentially make it easier for 
people to get health insurance if they lose their jobs or change jobs, 
or also if they have a preexisting medical condition. The problem, 
though, is that the Republican leadership continues its effort to add 
on what I call the poison pill to this health care reform bill, and 
that is the medical savings accounts. Essentially what they want to do 
is encourage healthy and wealthier people to opt out of the traditional 
insurance pool that we have for most health insurance and leave in the 
insurance pool the people who are sicker, who have less money and, 
therefore, drive up insurance costs, premium costs.
  Last night I heard some of my colleagues on the Republican side talk 
about how they wanted an MSA demonstration project, but that it is not 
enough to just have it for employers of 15 employees or less, they want 
it for 100 employees or less.
  Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is, if you include these MSA's in this 
health insurance reform, you will destroy health insurance reform. The 
President will not sign it. The Democrats will not support it. The end 
result is to increase premiums for the average American.

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