[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Pages 26535-26536]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HEALTH CARE

  (Mrs. DAVIS of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, in America, if you get 
overcharged on a telephone or cable bill, you have recourse to get your 
money back. If a mechanic does an unnecessary repair, there are 
agencies that can help you. On the government level, we work to defend 
consumers and guard against markets being too concentrated. That was 
one of the goals when I chaired the Consumer Protection Committee in 
the California State assembly.
  And yet when it comes to health care, strong consumer protections 
just don't exist and Americans are suffering because no one is looking 
out for them. That's why the Consumers Union, which Americans trust for 
information on major purchases, calls our health care system a 
``consumer crisis'' and endorses our efforts to reform the system.

[[Page 26536]]

  Once the bill's provisions take effect, no insurance company can deny 
or drop your coverage. Every insurance company would have to provide a 
minimum set of benefits, including prescription drugs, hospital care, 
and mental health. This reform will give Americans the reliability and 
security they deserve.

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