[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 58 (Thursday, May 5, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HEALTH INSURANCE CRISIS

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                               speech of

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 3, 2005

  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take time today to 
recognize ``Cover the Uninsured Week,'' a project of the Robert Wood 
Johnson Foundation designed to raise awareness of the issue of access 
to health care.
  It may be hard to believe, but more than a decade has passed since 
the Clinton Administration's health care plan died in Congress. In 
survey after survey, Americans consistently rate access to health 
insurance as one of their top concerns. But unfortunately, our nation's 
political leaders have failed to lead on this critical issue.
  The facts reveal a startling truth--as a Nation, we are facing a 
crisis of the uninsured. In just the last four years, the number of 
uninsured Americans has ballooned to 45 million, an increase of more 
than 5 million people. If the millions that go without health insurance 
for some period during the year are included, the number of uninsured 
dramatically increases to more than 85 million people.
  To dispel one myth: This rise in the number of uninsured is not the 
result of people deciding not to work. Rather, an overwhelming majority 
of the uninsured--80 percent--are working families, many employed by 
businesses that have become less able to provide health coverage for 
their employees.
  And if things weren't bad enough, the Administration has proposed 
broad cuts to Medicaid, essentially gutting the healthcare system of 
last resort for poor Americans, by at least $10 billion. In these 
worsening times, how can we justify pulling the rug out from underneath 
our community's most vulnerable?
  In my home state of Massachusetts, we have been fortunate; we are 
among those states with the lowest percentage of uninsured. But, even 
there we have a lot more work to do. According to a recent Urban 
Institute report, there are currently 532,000 uninsured people in 
Massachusetts, and most of the health care available to these people is 
provided by local hospitals.
  And like many other states, since 2000, Massachusetts workers have 
seen their health premiums rise three times faster than their wages. If 
these trends continue, fewer individuals and families will be able to 
afford to pay for coverage, and fewer small businesses will be able to 
provide this vital benefit to employees.

  As we all know, we often tend to ignore that, which does not directly 
affect us, but we can no longer afford to do so; there are clear 
consequences to all of us for ignoring the plight of the uninsured. 
According to a recent Institute of Medicine report, the United States 
loses $65-$130 billion each year as a result of the poor health and 
early deaths of uninsured adults. Should things continue to worsen, we 
will all be forced to bare the financial burden of the uninsured.
  But this problem extends beyond the dollars and cents. As citizens, 
we have a moral responsibility to our communities, and we cannot stand 
by in good conscience as millions are denied access to basic health 
care.
  So, as we take this time to recognize ``Cover the Uninsured Week,'' I 
hope that my colleagues will join me in raising awareness about the 
reality facing the millions of uninsured. We must not allow this issue 
to remain on the back burner of the national political debate. Health 
care is a right, not a privilege, and all of us must work to extend 
that right to every single American.

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