[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25776]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Mr. KENNEDY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, the other side talks about the health care 
reform bill costing a lot of money. Right now, consumers in America are 
spending millions and millions of dollars paying that to the insurance 
companies. One-third of the health care dollar goes to no such thing as 
health care; it goes to the insurance companies. That's why the 
Democratic proposal restricts the amount of money that insurance 
companies can spend on bureaucracy. That's where the out-of-pocket 
expenses actually go to health care. That sounds like a smart idea to 
me.
  Furthermore, the insurance companies can no longer discriminate 
against preexisting conditions, no longer can discriminate against 
people who need health care. That sounds like a good idea.
  Finally, talking about reducing deficit spending, this bill requires 
insurance companies to keep costs under control. That saves the 
government money and reduces the deficit because the biggest spender in 
health care is the Federal Government through entitlements.
  I don't know why the other side is so hell-bent on protecting 
insurance companies' medical inflation that only adds to the deficit in 
this country.

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