[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 17834]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION--CONTROLLING SKYROCKETING HEALTH 
                               CARE COSTS

  (Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we had the historic 
introduction of our health reform act. This bill is going to 
fundamentally improve care for Americans, for people that have 
insurance but also for people that don't.
  Importantly, this legislation includes a robust public health 
insurance option. The cost of health care insurance is just too high 
for people that have it and businesses that are paying for it, and the 
public health insurance option is going to be one of our most effective 
ways to bring the cost of insurance down.
  Don't take my word for it. Take a study by the Commonwealth Fund that 
shows that premiums for individuals can be reduced by 25 percent by the 
pressure put on private insurers by a public health insurance option. 
That's why studies show that 70 percent to 80 percent of Americans want 
the option to purchase a public insurance option because it will lower 
their costs, both as individuals and as employees of businesses 
throughout this country who are paying far too much for health care.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage us to take a serious look at a very, very 
important health care bill that's been introduced before us.

                          ____________________