[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 159 (Thursday, October 29, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H12049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ADDICTION

  (Mr. KENNEDY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. KENNEDY. Madam Speaker, we have an elephant in the middle of our 
Nation's living room. That is alcoholism and drug addiction. This 
country's medical system does not deal with one of the major issues in 
this country, and that is alcoholism and drug addiction and depression 
and mental illness.
  If we are going to do something about our health care system, we 
better incorporate treatment for these illnesses in order to make sure 
we prevent other diseases. If you have one of these illnesses, your 
cost for health care goes up four times. Seventy percent of the trauma 
care in this country is as a result of drug addiction and alcoholism. 
Car accidents, stabbings, gun shots, domestic violence, many of the 
things you see in our emergency rooms is as a result of drugs and 
alcohol.
  That is why we need to make sure that we have early intervention and 
screening and treatment reimbursement in our health care bill.

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