[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[July 3, 1992]
[Pages 1077-1078]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Radio Address to the Nation on Health Care Reform

July 3, 1992
    Today, I'm asking all Americans to help me break a logjam holding up 
reform of our health care system. Health care in our country is too 
expensive, too complicated. And too many times, the system is downright 
unfair. I've proposed comprehensive reforms, including four pieces of 
legislation now waiting in Congress' in-box. Americans could begin 
enjoying the benefits of reform right away if only Congress would act.
    Let me tell you about our plan, including my legislation and some 
initiatives by House and Senate Republicans. We would lower costs for 
patients and providers alike by keeping high taxes, costly litigation, 
and big bureaucracies off their backs. We're fighting to give self-
employed Americans the same tax advantages that big corporations already 
have, and that is being able to take 100 percent of health insurance 
premiums off their income taxes.
    Our legislation also would help small business and self-employed 
people get the same break as the big guys through new purchasing 
networks and broader risk pooling. That's good because it will help 
drive down health care costs for everyone. And House Republicans have a 
good idea to let both employers and employees contribute to new tax-free 
MediSave accounts for health care.
    It's time to reform our antiquated system, move things into the 
electronic age. Our legislation would cut paperwork and redtape and put 
health insurance on a modern electronic billing system. Going to the 
doctor should involve no more paperwork than using a credit card. I've 
also asked that horse-and-buggy-era rules end and that practices for 
patient records and consumer health information be replaced with 
computerization. By the end of the decade, these two reforms alone would 
save Americans an estimated $24 billion a year.
    Just this week I sent Congress a bill to curb the runaway costs of 
medical liability. Nearly every community in this country knows gifted 
medical people, conscientious men and women, who no longer use their 
talents and training because they're afraid of being wiped out by damage 
suits. That's wrong. And it hurts every one of us. Everywhere I travel 
in this country, people tell me Americans should make more effort 
helping each other instead of suing each other. And that's why I'm 
asking Congress to pass my plan to put caps on damages and encourage 
settling disputes out of court.
    We need medical malpractice reform now. But there's a logjam, the 
old-time liberal leadership in the Senate and the House stalling my 
reforms. While I want to curb the excessive damage awards in medical 
malpractice cases, too many in that Capitol Hill crowd are too beholden 
to the trial lawyers lobby to act in the people's interest. Where I want 
the freedom and the proven efficiency of the modern market to work, the 
old-time leadership wants Federal bureaucrats to control prices and 
ration services.
    The biggest story of our time is the failure of socialism and all 
its empty promises, including nationalized health care and government 
price-setting. But somehow this news that shook the world hasn't seeped 
through the doors of the Democratic cloakrooms on Capitol Hill.
    And that's why I'm asking your help. Let's get them the message. 
Americans deserve a better health care system. And they support the 
principles of my plan. Let's get our Senators and Congressmen off the 
dime and make them bring my plan to a vote.
    Thank you for listening. And may God bless the United States of 
America.

[[Page 1078]]

                    Note: This address was recorded at 11:02 a.m. on 
                        July 2 in the Oval Office at the White House for 
                        broadcast after 6 a.m. on July 3.