[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 41 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E467-E468]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          CRISIS IN HEALTHCARE

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON PAUL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2003

  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, America faces a crisis in health care. Health 
care costs continue to rise while physicians and patients struggle 
under the control of managed-care ``gatekeepers.'' Obviously, 
fundamental health care reform should be one of Congress' top 
priorities.
  Unfortunately, most health care ``reform'' proposals either make 
marginal changes or exacerbate the problem. This is because they fail 
to address the root of the problem with health care, which is that 
government policies encourage excessive reliance on third-party payers. 
The excessive reliance on third-party payers removes all ilncentive 
from individual patients to concern themselves with health care costs. 
Laws and policies promoting Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) 
resulted from a desperate attempt to control spiraling costs. However, 
instead of promoting an efficient health care system, HMOs further took 
control over health care away from the individual patient and 
physician.
  Returning control over health care to the individual is the key to 
true health care reform. This is why today I am introducing the 
Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act. This legislation puts control of 
health care back into the hands of the individual through tax credits, 
tax deductions, Medical Savings Accounts, and Flexible Savings 
Accounts. Specifically, the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act:
  A. Provides all Americans with a tax credit for 100% of health care 
expenses. The tax credit is fully refundable against both income and 
payroll taxes.
  B. Allows individuals to roll over unused amounts in cafeteria plans 
and Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA).
  C. Makes every American eligible for an Archer Medical Savings 
Account (MSA) and

[[Page E468]]

changes the tax laws to increase the benefits of MSAs.
  D. Repeals the 7.5 percent threshold for the deduction of medical 
expenses, thus making all medical expenses tax deductible.
  By providing a wide range of options, this bill allows individual 
Americans to choose the method of financing health care that best suits 
their individual needs. Increasing frustration with the current health 
care system is leading more and more Americans to embrace this approach 
to health care reform. For example, a recent poll by the respected 
Zogby firm showed that over 80 percent of Americans support providing 
all Americans with access to a Medical Savings Account. I hope all my 
colleagues will join this effort to put individuals back in control of 
health care by cosponsoring the Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act.

                          ____________________