[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 92 (Thursday, June 20, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1124-E1125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    AMERICA WANTS HEALTH CARE REFORM

                                 ______


                            HON. RON PACKARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 19, 1996

  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, America's wait for health care reform is 
nearly over. My colleagues in both the House and the Senate have 
reached agreement on the Health Coverage Availability and Affordability 
Act of 1996. This is the health care bill the American people have 
wanted for years.
  The Republican health care reform plan is portable and affordable. 
Despite the extremist efforts of the Clinton administration to 
nationalize this Nation's private health care system, the long wait for 
portable and affordable heath care is over, and, it took a Republican 
Congress to get it done. Our plan ensures portability, fights fraud and 
abuse, cuts red tape, increases access, and enhances affordability.
  For the first time, working Americans will be able to leave their 
jobs without having to worry about losing their health care insurance 
due to preexisting conditions. Up to 25 million Americans per year will 
benefit from this agreement, which eliminates preexisting condition 
exclusions for persons with prior health insurance coverage. An 
additional 4 million job-locked Americans are freed to job hunt because 
insurance companies will be required by law, to accept persons who had 
prior health insurance coverage.
  This agreement fights fraud and abuse by creating new penalties 
against those who engage in health care fraud. It creates a national

[[Page E1125]]

health care fraud and abuse control program to coordinate Federal, 
State, and local law enforcement actions and funding is increased for 
investigation, reviews, and prosecutions.
  To provide greater access to health care, the agreement fights 
discrimination in the Tax Code against millions of small, self-employed 
business men and women by giving them virtually the same rights as 
large corporations to deduct their health insurance costs. It allows 
tax deductions for long-term health care needs, and it allows 
terminally ill patients and their families to receive tax-free 
accelerated death benefits from their insurance companies.
  The President and his liberal allies insist on perpetuating big 
Government policies and socialized heath care. America rejected it in 
1993, and they do not want it today. The Health Coverage Availability 
and Affordability Act of 1996 ensures portable, affordable health care 
for working Americans.
  It is time the Clinton liberals stop dragging their feet and came to 
the negotiating table.

                          ____________________