[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 18481]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             THE COST OF HEALTH CARE INACTION IS TOO GREAT

  (Mr. HALL of New York asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HALL of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to dispel the myth 
that health care reform will suddenly move the burden of paying for the 
uninsured onto the rest of us. All Americans are already paying the 
high costs of a broken health care system with 47 million Americans 
uninsured.
  The cost of caring for the uninsured gets passed on to all of us. The 
average American family is currently paying more than $1,000 every year 
to support the uninsured. This $1,000 fee is buried deep in every 
premium and pays for the broken health care system.
  Health care costs are soaring out of control. Premiums have doubled 
in 9 years, growing three times faster than wages. These staggering 
prices are too high for American families. Members of Congress must 
come together to address the problem for the health of middle class 
Americans and the health of their wallets. The cost of inaction is just 
too great to sit back and do nothing.

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