Health Care Reform's Lost Opportunity

Mr. BURGESS. Madam Speaker, just within the past hour, Governor Mitch Daniels came and addressed the Congressional Health Care Caucus. He gave us some particular insights as to what's been happening in his State of Indiana with regards to health care costs.

But, in particular, he expressed how distressed he was over the health care bill that this Congress passed in March. He described it as a ``lost opportunity of historic proportions that perpetuates and extends the problems of the existing system.'' The plan is administratively complex, and States, in fact, have no hope of complying. In fact, the cost to States, the significant financial burden proposed to the States are truly going to be obstacles.

It's odd. You know, every time consumer-directed health care posts a win, we find a way not to recognize the success, but Governor Daniels has. He described us as heading at warp speed down a dead-end road with a debt burden that threatens the actual vitality of our Republic.

There is a better way. The simple truth is that something magic happens when people spend their own money. Governor Daniels, employing a system of consumer-directed health care in his State of Indiana, has held health care costs down by 11 percent in the past year. I wish Medicare and Medicaid could say the same.

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