[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 55 (Wednesday, May 6, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E769]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E769]]



                INTRODUCING A HEALTH QUALITY RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RICHARD K. ARMEY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 6, 1998

  Mr. ARMEY. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a resolution on 
health-care quality. It expresses the sense of the House that Congress 
not pass any legislation that: Makes health insurance unaffordable; 
swells the ranks of the uninsured; diverts scarce health resources to 
lawyers and bureaucrats; or imposes political considerations on medical 
practice, such as so-called body-part mandates.
  The resolution is needed to remind us our first duty is to ``do no 
harm,'' and thus not to pass any so-called ``quality'' bill that would 
in fact do serious harm to the quality of patient care. I am thinking 
of bills like the White House-Democrat Leadership ``Patient Bill of 
Rights Act,'' a bill that would have the perverse effect of eliminating 
every kind of managed-care plan except restrictive HMOs, enable nurses 
and doctors to go on strike, and drive up premiums and drive down 
coverage by letting trial lawyers sue health plans for malpractice. 
Worst of all, this liberal dream bill would let HHS bureaucrats define 
``medical necessity,'' which is as good as giving them power over life 
and death. It is an audacious step toward Clintoncare.
  I am the first to acknowledge the serious flaws in today's health-
care system. While America leads the world in excellent medical drugs, 
devices, and doctors, and while insurance plans are improving every day 
thanks to market forces, the fact is we have real problems in our 
health system.
  Government policy, both state and federal, makes insurance 
unaffordable for millions.
  The tax break for health insurance discriminates against the 
unemployed and small-business workers.
  Many employers offer their workers no real choice of plans or 
doctors.
  And of course we have all heard about the bad health plans, the ones 
that deny service in violation of contract, or that let remote 
bureaucrats with cook books impose medical decisions over the advice of 
trained, on-site health professionals. I do not know how many of these 
accusations are true, but even one is too many if it is true and 
preventable. So this problem demands our serious attention.
  But in trying to improve, we have an obligation not to destroy. We 
should serve the good of patients and consumers, and not the financial 
interests of certain industries or trade associations. Above all, we 
should not assist President Clinton in his openly acknowledged scheme 
to socialize our health system step by step.
  In passing this resolution, the House would be going on record in 
favor of legislation that promotes rather than degrades quality. It is 
identical to a resolution by Senator Nickles of Oklahoma that recently 
passed the Senate by a vote of 98 to zero. Even Senator Kennedy voted 
for it, reluctantly. I want us to approve the Nickles resolution in the 
House, so that we may not be outdone in our zeal for good by our 
distinguished colleagues across the Rotunda.

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