[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15423]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                PUTTING PATIENTS AND DOCTORS IN CONTROL

  (Mr. BOUSTANY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Last week, congressional Democrats unveiled several 
sweeping overhauls of American health care. Each of their plans 
includes a government-run bureaucracy that would put red tape between 
patients and their doctors.
  I saw this firsthand as a doctor when patients with government-run 
Medicaid coverage often after heart surgery had difficulties finding 
doctors for follow-up care. A failure to get follow-up care after heart 
surgery is a great way to guarantee a poor quality result for patients 
and higher cost for taxpayers. Far too often, patients in our current 
government-run programs lack real access to a doctor, leaving them out 
of the system.
  Today, House Republicans put forward a commonsense plan to revitalize 
the American health care system and improve quality. Our plan puts 
patients and their doctors back in control of their health care 
destiny. Our plan makes health care more affordable and more 
accessible, with patients able to see a doctor of their choice.
  We all agree improving our system will make America more competitive 
and give families peace of mind. Let's work together to put the doctor 
and patient back in control.

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