[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 19665]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HEALTH CARE IS A HUMAN ISSUE

  (Mr. BACA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, families in America deserve a health care 
system that works. A parent should not have to worry about paying for 
either high health care insurance premiums or putting food on the table 
or paying their mortgages.
  In fact, each year in my district, 5,200 seniors who hit the doughnut 
hole are forced to pay their full drug costs despite having part D drug 
coverage. The Tri-Committee bill provides these seniors with immediate 
relief by cutting brand-name drug costs in the doughnut hole by 50 
percent.
  In 2008, my district had 1,490 health care-related bankruptcies, 
caused primarily by the high health care costs not covered by 
insurance. The Tri-Committee bill caps out-of-pocket costs at $10,000 
per year, ensuring that no individual will have to face financial ruin 
because of high health care costs.
  For these reasons, I stand here to advocate for American families who 
are struggling in every corner. I urge my colleagues to stand with me 
and to support health care reform. This is not a political issue. This 
is a human issue.

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