[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 2824-2825]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS

  Mr. BURRIS. Mr. President, there was an article in last Thursday's 
Chicago Tribune, my hometown newspaper, that caught my attention. It is 
shocking news for many of my fellow Illinoisans. I would like to share 
it with my colleagues today.
  According to State records, Illinoisans who lose their jobs and have 
to buy their own health insurance will see

[[Page 2825]]

their premiums increase by as much as 60 percent this year. As the 
Tribune notes, this is affecting more people than ever before because 
of the economic crisis.
  There are currently more than one-half million consumers in Illinois 
who have individual health plans. Their base rates, which stand at 8.5 
percent at the moment, will jump to more than 60 percent. Those are 
just the base rates. Elderly folks will likely see additional increases 
on top of that. So will those who have a history of illness. So will 
people who live in certain areas or who have only had a policy for a 
short period of time.
  Insurance companies will pile on additional increases for all these 
folks, on top of a 60-percent increase that will affect every 
Illinoisan with an individual health plan.
  Let me remind my colleagues that these are mostly folks who have lost 
their employment, so they do not have a steady stream of income to 
absorb these increases, and they do not have a choice but to pay 
whatever the insurance companies demand or go without the coverage they 
need.
  This is bad news by itself, but it gets worse because they are not 
the only ones who will see their premiums go up. Small businesses are 
finding it harder than ever to afford coverage for their employees 
because they are being hit with big rate hikes even though business is 
not as good as it was a few years ago.
  Companies, such as Illinois Blue Cross, have even acknowledged they 
will be increasing their rates by an average of 10 percent across the 
board and much more for some of their customers.
  We have seen this kind of thing before. Just recently in California, 
a health insurance company raised its rates by 39 percent, a move that 
sparked national outrage and investigations by State and Federal 
regulators.
  When we hear about this kind of behavior, there is an obvious 
question for us to ask, the same question that many folks in Illinois 
will be asking when they get their insurance bills over the next few 
months. That question is why. Why are insurance companies raising rates 
by as much as 60 percent? Why does it keep getting harder and harder to 
pay for health coverage when benefits are being slashed at the same 
time? It does not make any sense.
  But when Illinoisans pick up their phones and they call their 
insurance providers and they ask them why, they probably will not be 
able to get an answer. Most insurance companies do not release that 
information and do not feel they have an obligation to explain the 
outrageous rate hikes. Ordinary Americans do not have a way of finding 
out.
  That is exactly why we need to pass comprehensive health care reform 
without delay to restore competition to the insurance industry so folks 
can shop around and try to get a fair deal, to help us hold insurance 
companies accountable so we can keep them honest, and to provide cost 
savings so hard-working Americans and small businesses can breathe a 
little easier in these difficult times.
  The Senate health reform bill would have accomplished all these 
things and more. If we had combined our bill with the House version at 
the end of last year and sent it to President Obama, we would have had 
a law on the books by now. We would almost certainly not be seeing 
these dramatic premium increases. Instead, people's premiums would be 
going down significantly, and 3l million more Americans would have 
health care coverage.
  This Chicago Tribune article would have read very differently if we 
had finished this health care bill a few months ago, as we easily 
should have done. But because of our inaction in Washington, because of 
delays and the obstructionism, these companies continue to have free 
rein.
  As we struggle to find common ground between the House and the 
Senate, we must never forget the American people are locked in a much 
more serious struggle.
  We have experienced the worst economic crisis since the Great 
Depression. The unemployment rate exceeds 10 percent in Illinois, and 
it stands just under 10 percent nationwide. Millions have watched 
helplessly as their hard-earned economic security vanished overnight. 
Individuals and families are finding it harder than ever to make ends 
meet. One of the greatest challenges they face is paying for health 
insurance.
  Under the current system, too many people are forced to choose 
between keeping food on the table and buying health coverage. It is a 
terrible choice. Premiums are so high it is almost impossible to afford 
quality coverage. As the Chicago Tribune reported, they are about to 
get even higher, but without insurance we are all just one accident or 
catastrophic illness away from bankruptcy or even death.
  It is time to turn our attention away from the partisan fight that 
consumes Washington every day and focus on the fight that is taking 
place in America's heartland.
  My colleagues and I must never forget why we entered public service 
in the first place. Why are we here? What is our purpose? We must 
always remember our actions and our failures to take action have real 
consequences for ordinary people from coast to coast.
  This legislation was stalled and delayed for the better part of a 
year. As a result of this obstructionism, we are about to see premiums 
go up by 60 percent instead of going down.
  If my Republican friends had come to the table and acted in the 
spirit of compromise and listened to the will of the American people, 
we would have passed health care reform and a dozen other things by 
now. But instead, it is the same old politics. It is easy to find 
excuses. It is very difficult to govern.
  Once again, I invite my colleagues across the aisle to join us in 
these efforts, come to the negotiating table. You heard President Obama 
speak yesterday very vividly and forthrightly about what we need to do 
to bring health care reform to the American people. We have a fresh 
sense of momentum, a new opportunity to deliver on this promise of 
reform.
  Let's keep having this conversation. Let's confront these challenges 
together as the American people have asked us to do. Let's move forward 
as one Congress, as one Nation. It is time for Republicans and 
Democrats to say enough is enough to big insurance: No more outrageous 
rate hikes; no more coverage denials; no more abuse.
  It is time for Republicans and Democrats to reaffirm our commitment 
to the hard-working people we represent in Illinois and across the 
country. It is time to pass comprehensive health reform so every 
American can get a great deal on health insurance and foreclose the 
possibility of losing their life or their assets.
  I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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