[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 147 (Thursday, November 14, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S11149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS ABOUT PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ABOUT 
                   IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH CARE COVERAGE

  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 757, S. Con. Res. 94.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent 
resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 94) expressing the 
     sense of Congress that public awareness and education about 
     the importance of health care coverage is of the utmost 
     priority and that a National Importance of Health Care 
     Coverage Month should be established to promote that 
     awareness and education.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. REID. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
concurrent resolution be agreed to; that the preamble be agreed to; 
that the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table; and that any 
statements relating to the concurrent resolution be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 94) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 94

       Whereas census estimates indicate that some 42,000,000 
     people in the United States are without health insurance 
     coverage, many of whom are among the most vulnerable and can 
     be financially devastated by serious illness, disease, or 
     accident;
       Whereas studies have shown that people with health 
     insurance are healthier than those who are uninsured and 
     receive care through emergency rooms or safety net health 
     care services, because the insured are entitled to, and 
     receive, more preventive care, follow-up care, and care for 
     chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure;
       Whereas over 17,300,000 of the uninsured are employed but 
     are not offered health insurance through their employers;
       Whereas such employers are small business owners who are 
     often unaware of the benefits of offering health insurance, 
     including that such benefits are tax deductible, reduce 
     employee turnover, and reduce employee sick days;
       Whereas over 16,000,000 people in the United States, more 
     than \1/3\ of the uninsured, are in families where at least 1 
     member of the family has been offered employer based health 
     care coverage but has declined coverage;
       Whereas many individuals are eligible for public assistance 
     programs such as the State Children's Health Insurance 
     Program, known as SCHIP, and the medicaid program, but are 
     not currently enrolled due primarily to lack of outreach, 
     education, and accessible enrollment processes;
       Whereas studies have shown that many individuals and small 
     businesses are unaware of the various options they have for 
     obtaining affordable health care coverage;
       Whereas surveys have shown that many individuals who cite 
     expense as the reason for not purchasing insurance find 
     insurance affordable once they are informed of the true cost 
     of various options; and
       Whereas education about health care coverage helps 
     uninsured individuals and employers understand the critical 
     value of health insurance as a preventive measure and the 
     ways to keep their health insurance premiums manageable once 
     they have health care coverage: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) a National Importance of Health Care Coverage Month be 
     established to--
       (A) promote a multifaceted educational effort about the 
     importance of health care coverage;
       (B) increase awareness of the many available health care 
     coverage options; and
       (C) inform those eligible for public insurance programs on 
     ways to access those programs; and
       (2) the President issue a proclamation calling on the 
     Federal Government, States, localities, citizens, and 
     businesses of the United States to conduct appropriate 
     programs, fairs, ceremonies, and activities to promote this 
     educational effort.

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