[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 11, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H3150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOVERY ACT FIRST STEP IN REFORMING HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. WILSON of Ohio asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have supported the 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is one of the first steps we 
look in our journey to strengthen and improve our country's health care 
system. We can't fix our economy without fixing health care.
  The recovery plan will provide $20 billion to speed the adoption of 
health information technology systems by doctors and hospitals. This 
will modernize our health care system, reduce medical errors, save 
billions of dollars and create jobs.
  Recently, I visited Holzer Medical Center in my district in 
Gallipolis, Ohio. Doctors there showed me how health IT helps them to 
speed medical records from doctor to doctor and cut down on extra 
medical tests. That saves time and money.
  Mr. Speaker, in fact, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that 
health IT investments will generate up to $40 billion in savings for 
Medicare and private health insurance companies. Those savings can be 
passed along to American families.
  I look forward to watching continued improvements at hospitals back 
home, like Holzer. And I look forward to continuing our work to further 
improve health care.

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