[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17688]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               EXPANDING HEALTH CARE OPTIONS FOR FAMILIES

  (Mr. BOUSTANY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, a recent article in The Washington Post 
highlights the importance of expanding health savings accounts for 
America's families. The article mentioned a woman who switched to an 
HSA with a high deductible health plan after her insurance premiums 
increased by 42 percent in 1 year. As a result, the monthly cost of her 
asthma medication consumed all the money in her HSA.
  Patients with chronic conditions shouldn't have to pay a high 
deductible before their coverage begins. Giving patients with HSAs the 
freedom to choose plans that offer up-front coverage will avoid 
hospitalizations and reduce the costs that are borne by all Americans.
  Recently, I introduced H.R. 2639, the Promoting Health for Future 
Generations Act of 2007. The bill permits HSA owners to receive 
prescription drugs before paying a deductible. It also permits working 
families to accumulate more money in these accounts, resolving the 
situations like the one pointed out in The Washington Post article.
  I urge my colleagues to expand coverage and empower patients by 
cosponsoring H.R. 2639. Doing so will give Americans greater 
flexibility and independence when managing their families' health care 
needs.

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