[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 100 (Thursday, July 15, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H5579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               HMO REFORM

  (Mr. LAMPSON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to ask my colleagues to 
stop lollygagging around and to pass meaningful HMO reform as quickly 
as possible.
  Hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries have been dumped by their Medicare 
HMOs in Texas. Three healthcare plans that I know of, and there could 
easily be more, have decided not to renew their contracts with the 
Healthcare Financing Administration.
  This is why Medicare HMO reform is needed ASAP. Congress needs to 
step up to the plate and enact legislation that ensures quality 
healthcare coverage for all our Nation's elderly. We need to make sure 
that treatment decisions are made by doctors, like my brother, not 
insurance company bureaucrats. Plus, we need to hold HMOs accountable 
for healthcare decisions that people or their doctors disagree with. We 
must keep Medicare HMOs at the forefront of this Congressional agenda.

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