[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H8157]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          MANAGED CARE REFORM

  (Mr. GANSKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. GANSKE. Mr. Speaker, I want to clear up an area of 
misunderstanding that some of my colleagues have, as well as some of 
the business community has concerning the bipartisan managed care bill.
  I recently had a CEO of a major corporation from the Midwest and his 
lobbyist come into my office and say, if that bill comes law, it would 
mean the end of ERISA. I said, how so? He said, we would not be able to 
do a uniform benefits package for our employees across various State 
lines. I said, you know what? There is nothing in that bill that deals 
with mandated benefits. Nothing, nada, zero. There would still be ERISA 
if we passed this law.
  Businesses that operate across State lines would still be able to do 
a uniform benefits package, and they would still be exempt from State 
mandates. The only thing this bill does in ERISA that is of consequence 
is that it says that if a health plan makes a medical decision that 
results in the injury to one of their subscribers that they are 
responsible for that, just like any insurer in the individual market 
today already is.

                          ____________________