[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 23751]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM

  (Mr. BACA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. BACA. Reforming health insurance must be our duty and 
responsibility. The vast majority of Americans have health insurance. 
The question is what does our health insurance reform mean for them.
  It means that insurance companies no longer will decide to deny your 
coverage or jack up your insurance rate because of preexisting 
conditions.
  It means that it will be against the law for insurance companies to 
drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it 
the most.
  It means that there will be a yearly limit on how much you can be 
charged for out-of-pocket expenses, because no one should go broke 
because they get sick.
  It means that premiums will stop growing three times faster than your 
wages, because more competitiveness in insurance markets will hold 
premiums down.
  It means that if you lose your job or change your job, you'll be able 
to get affordable coverage.
  In short, what health insurance reform means for millions of 
Americans who are insured today is more security and stability. 
Americans should not have to wait longer for this reform. Congress must 
act this year.

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