[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 147 (Tuesday, October 13, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H11272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WALL STREET JOURNAL AWARDS HCSS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to applaud HCSS, a small 
business in my district in Sugar Land, Texas. HCSS was recently honored 
by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top 15 small business 
workplaces in America. In this tough economy, the company that puts 
employees first is the one that stands out.
  I recently met with Mike Rydin, the founder and CEO of HCSS, about 
the success of his company, and he said, ``We try to provide an 
environment that attracts and retains top talent and helps keep 
employees happy. Hiring top talent that loves coming to work allows us 
to provide topnotch software and service to our customers.''
  HCSS was one of nearly 630 private, nonprofit, or publicly held 
organizations across the country that were nominated for this 
prestigious award. According to the Wall Street Journal, they select 
employers that foster teamwork, flexibility, high productivity, and 
innovation, while also helping their employees grow personally and 
professionally and providing benefits that improve lives and 
communities.
  HCSS has taken a hands-on approach to wellness for their employees 
that should serve as a model for private-sector solutions to our 
Nation's health care problems.

                              {time}  2015

  HCSS recently opened a new Sugar Land headquarters, which includes a 
one-third-mile, crushed-granite jogging trail, an exercise room, a game 
room, a gym with a basketball court, and a putting green. The company 
also pays fitness and wellness trainers to counsel employees on 
nutrition and exercise, and it offers on-site yoga and Pilates classes.
  Each year, all employees are eligible to receive $100 for each good 
result in an annual health screening, such as good cholesterol levels, 
not smoking and moderate body mass index. HCSS recently contracted with 
a company that will provide employees doctor consultations over the 
Internet right there in the HCSS offices.
  A focus on employee wellness should be part of the solution to our 
Nation's health care debate. Small companies need a level playing field 
in cost and affordability for their employees. That is why Congress 
should provide the same tax incentives for small companies that large 
corporations enjoy. Targeted tax relief would allow more companies to 
follow the HCSS model for health care for their employees.
  As a result of the wellness programs at work at HCSS, their company-
paid annual health insurance premiums fell over $600 per employee in 
2008 from 2004--$600 per employee over a 4-year period. The company 
credits this to its vast wellness program and to its introduction of a 
high-deductible health plan, coupled with health reimbursement accounts 
to which the company contributes $1,000 to $3,000 annually for employee 
and dependent out-of-pocket health care expenses.
  These are important examples of how health care costs can be reduced 
without looking to massive government programs to achieve greater 
coverage and lower costs. This is only one component of the debate, to 
be sure, but it can address many of the problems small businesses face 
to provide affordable health care to their employees.
  Mike Rydin has future plans to build a school to train low-income 
people new skills so they can become more integrated parts of the 
communities in which they work and live.
  HCSS has the kind of innovative and entrepreneurial vision to provide 
wellness and a comprehensive work environment that America has always 
relied on to find solutions to our bigger problems. I am proud of HCSS 
for their recognition as a top small workplace in America. This is the 
first Houston area company and only the second in the great State of 
Texas that has been recognized with this award.
  Washington would do well to look at how small businesses like HCSS 
are achieving the results that we seek. Oftentimes, the great ideas 
come from the small innovators.

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