[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12713]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           SUPPORT BIPARTISAN PATIENT PROTECTION ACT OF 2001

  (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, now that we are back from the 
Independence Day recess and the celebrations, the passage of the 
Patients' Bill of Rights, the one introduced by the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) and the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), must be at the top of our agenda.
  This bill, the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act of 2001, is the only 
one which comprehensively reforms the current managed care system to 
better meet the needs of those who elected us.
  During the break misinformation and scare tactics continued. It is 
important that the American public know the truth. Many of the ads say 
that the bill would raise the cost of insurance. Not true. What they 
fail to say is that in the past 3 years or so, the cost of managed care 
has already increased at an average of 7.1 percent, and the increase is 
projected to be in double digits for this year. The ads also fail to 
tell us that while the costs have gone up, less services are covered.
  Where the same provisions have been enacted in States, there have not 
been any extraordinary increases in premiums or significant increases 
in lawsuits. What has happened is that the people in those States have 
been able to access medically necessary health care, and we need to 
extend that to the rest of the Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, let us pass the bill and let us move on to reduce 
disparities and provide universal coverage.

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