IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 621 

Ensuring access to affordable and quality health care without increasing 

the Federal budget or contributing to market inflation while providing 

greater choices for patient-focused care for individuals and families. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 9, 2009 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to 

the Committees on Ways and Means and the Judiciary, for a period to 

be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Ensuring access to affordable and quality health care without 

increasing the Federal budget or contributing to market 

inflation while providing greater choices for patient-focused care for individuals and families. 

Whereas there are real challenges facing the United States 

health care system, and Congress continues to debate 

how to expand access to affordable, quality health care 

and health insurance coverage; 

Whereas the United States spends substantially more on 

health care than other developed countries, with total 

health care spending reaching $2,200,000,000,000 a year 

or close to $7,000 for each American; 


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Whereas health care spending consumes about 17 percent of 

the gross domestic product; 

Whereas there are approximately 46 million uninsured in the 

United States; 

Whereas 18 to 35 year olds are the most underinsured section of the population; 

Whereas more than half of the uninsured work for a small 

business; 

Whereas every American should have health insurance coverage and the freedom to choose and control it; 

Whereas health care is personal and the doctor-patient relationship must be protected; 

Whereas Americans value choice and control over their health 

care decisions; 

Whereas greater government involvement in our Nation’s 

health sector would lead to higher costs, fewer medical 

discoveries and treatments, delays in access to care, and 

excessive and expensive increases in paperwork and bureaucracy; 

Whereas Americans can improve quality and access in a way 

that also reduces costs by bringing more competition and 

choice into the health care sector and by giving people 

additional tools and incentives to become equal partners 

in managing their health spending and their care; and 

Whereas Americans must begin to refocus our Nation’s 

health sector on encouraging wellness and prevention, 

since health problems caught early are far less expensive 

to effectively address and treat: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that in order to ensure access to affordable 


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1 and quality health care without increasing the Federal 

2 budget or contributing to market inflation while providing 

3 greater choices for patient-focused care for individuals and 

4 families, the following principles should be included in any 

5 health care bill considered by the 111th Congress: 

6 (1) The ability to receive point-of-service health 

7 care in preventative, emergency, and rehabilitative 

8 settings in rural and urban areas. This must also 

9 advance critical health care training programs to re10 tain health care professionals and find a meaningful, 

11 long-term solution for the sustainable growth rate 

12 formula that will accurately reimburse physicians for 

13 the care they provide to Medicare beneficiaries. 

14 (2) With refundable tax credits for the pur15 chase of health insurance by low-income recipients 

16 together with tax credits for small businesses and 

17 access to association and small business, the cost of 

18 health care is within the reach of families and indi19 viduals while reducing costs without hurting the pa20 tient. 

21 (3) Medical liability reform to bring much need22 ed change to the civil justice system that is being ex23 ploited by trial lawyers and is responsible for driving 

24 up malpractice and health care costs. 


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1 (4) Safe and effective health service with meas2 urable results through the implementation of health 

3 information technology. 

4 (5) Build new incentives into health plans to 

5 encourage wellness, prevention, and to provide incen6 tives for people to make smart choices involving 

7 their health, care, treatment, and health insurance 

8 coverage. 

9 (6) Give people the ability to choose the best 

10 health care plan and options to meet their individual 

11 and family needs through portable health insurance 

12 and Health Savings Accounts. 

Æ 


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