For more, see Congressman Dreier's Floor Statement during debate on the rule
providing for debate on health care reform legislation

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Dreier Supports Making Health Care Available to 44 Million Uninsured Americans

Bill Would Provide Tax Credits to Those Caring for Elderly Relatives
and Promote Health Care to Small Businesses and Underserved Communities

October 7, 1999

As the House this week debates health care legislation, House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-CA) threw his support behind proposals to make affordable health care available to 44 million uninsured Americans by lowering costs and improving consumer choice.

“Too many Americans live without health insurance. Expanding health care choice and accessibility with market incentives is really the best way to go,” Dreier said. “We provide tax credits for those who care for elderly relatives and promote health care access to small businesses and self-employed people.”

“We all agree that Americans should have accessible, affordable, and accountable health care. If managed care is not making the grade, it needs to be improved,” said Dreier, adding that he would support common sense H.M.O. reforms. The health care access bill, H.R. 2990, would:

• provide a 100 percent deduction for health insurance and long-term care premiums if the taxpayer pays more than 50 percent of the premiums;
• provide an additional exemptions for individuals who care for elderly family members at home;
• increase the deduction for health insurance of self-employed individuals to100 percent in 2001;
• allow small business employees and those self-employed to pool together and purchase health insurance, thereby cutting costs;
• expand medical savings accounts (MSAs) to increase access to health care services and enhance patient control of health care expenditures;
• create "HealthMarts," private, voluntary, and competitive health insurance "supermarkets" that provide choice to small employers, their employees and dependents;
• permit Community Health Organizations (CHOs) to offer health insurance coverage in states where they are not licensed under certain conditions, making it easier for providers to form health care networks to meet needs in medically underserved areas.