[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 7 (Thursday, February 5, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E114-E115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNTS FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MATT SALMON

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 5, 1998

  Mr. SALMON. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased today to see the 
introduction of the Burton/Archer/Thomas/Mica/Salmon legislation on 
medical savings accounts for federal employees. It is certainly time 
our federal workers have the opportunity to select a medical savings 
account for their health care. Over the past two years we have enacted 
landmark legislation that has made the choice of an MSA possible for 
some American workers and Medicare recipients. Now it is time to extend 
that option to our federal workers.
  I have long been a proponent of medical savings accounts. While a 
state senator in Arizona I sponsored the MSA legislation that was 
signed into law in 1994. As a member of Congress, I have consistently 
introduced legislation promoting and expanding MSAs. One of my bills 
would allow MSAs for federal workers,

[[Page E115]]

and two others would ``lift the caps'' on MSAs for all workers and 
those on Medicare, virtually allowing everyone the freedom to choose a 
medical savings account.
  MSAs would empower federal employees to take control of their own 
health care decisions. With an MSA, workers can choose which physician 
or specialist they want to see and when to see them. They decide how 
they want to spend their health care dollars, and what they don't spend 
they can roll over to the next year.
  Medical savings accounts would reduce health care inflation for the 
federal government. Results from the private sector show that companies 
using MSAs report lower utilization of health care services and reduced 
high-deductible premiums. This contributes to lower overall health care 
costs for the United States.
  MSAs encourage preventive care and ``incentivize'' people to live 
healthier, so that they do not need expensive medical services in the 
future. Unlike some insurance plans that have deductibles or copays to 
meet, the employee's MSA account has money in it to use immediately if 
they desire routine or preventive care.
  Because they can roll funds leftover at year-end, an MSA account 
would offer federal employees the ability to build a fund for future 
health care needs such as long-term care insurance or nursing home 
services. The savings accrued in these accounts will also help the 
federal government by reducing dependence on federal health care 
programs for assistance.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join in on the introduction of 
this legislation and I urge all members to support the expansion of 
health care choices for federal employees by cosponsoring Burton/
Archer/Thomas/Mica/Salmon.

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