The Public Health Insurance Option

THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION--CONTROLLING SKYROCKETING HEALTH CARE COSTS -- (House of Representatives - July 15, 2009)

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Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we had the historic introduction of our health reform act. This bill is going to fundamentally improve care for Americans, for people that have insurance but also for people that don't.

Importantly, this legislation includes a robust public health insurance option. The cost of health care insurance is just too high for people that have it and businesses that are paying for it, and the public health insurance option is going to be one of our most effective ways to bring the cost of insurance down.

Don't take my word for it. Take a study by the Commonwealth Fund that shows that premiums for individuals can be reduced by 25 percent by the pressure put on private insurers by a public health insurance option. That's why studies show that 70 percent to 80 percent of Americans want the option to purchase a public insurance option because it will lower their costs, both as individuals and as employees of businesses throughout this country who are paying far too much for health care.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage us to take a serious look at a very, very important health care bill that's been introduced before us.

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