[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 21]
[House]
[Page 27993]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          2-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE MEDICARE MODERNIZATION ACT

  (Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, another 2-year anniversary that we observed 
this week is the passage and signing of the Medicare Modernization Act. 
A part of that act which really has not received the notice that it 
deserves is the part that expanded health savings accounts to more 
Americans. A lot of the restrictions were removed, and these changes 
allowed more people to be covered by health savings accounts that 
resulted in more coverage, coverage for people, and more choices for 
those people with insurance products. Mr. Speaker, I know this, because 
I had this before coming to Congress, and at that time there were only 
two companies that offered MSA-type coverage in my State. Now, the 
field has grown so that many companies offer coverage, and the prices 
for health savings accounts have dramatically reduced in my area.
  Today, Chief Deputy Whip Cantor is going to be introducing a bill 
that is going to remove some more restrictions that will allow for the 
adaptability for what are called flexible spending accounts and health 
reimbursement accounts so they can more seamlessly interact. This is 
good legislation, and I urge my colleagues to look into it.

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