[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 11, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H3147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           HEALTH CARE REFORM

  (Ms. SCHWARTZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SCHWARTZ. Last week, the White House Forum on Health Reform was a 
critical step forward ensuring that all Americans have access to high-
quality, affordable health care. Particularly important was a growing 
consensus among all stakeholders that we must reform our health care 
delivery and financing system to maximize efficiency, improve health 
care quality and outcomes and contain costs.
  President Obama charged us, Members of Congress and all stakeholders, 
to find a uniquely American solution to this challenge. To contain 
costs and expand access, we must engage patients in their care and 
realign our health care system to enhance primary care, to better 
coordinate care for patients with chronic conditions, to provide for 
meaningful use of health information technology and to apply clinical 
best practices, all of which will reduce costs and save lives.
  Without these innovations, any effort at expanding health care 
coverage will be unsustainable. This work will be difficult and 
complex. But we are compelled to act, both to meet the needs of 
millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans and for our economic 
competitiveness.

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