June 10, 1997 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 10539 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS FEDERAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH surance Corporation [FDIC]. A number of STATEMENT BY PATRICK EDWARD CARE PROTECTION ACT OF 1997 years ago the FED decided to drop out of the HOULE, CANAAN MEMORIAL FEHB Program and offer its employees a sep­ HIGH SCHOOL, REGARDING CEN­ HON. DAN BURTON arate health care plan. Then, in 1993, the FED SORSHIP AND EDUCATION OF INDIANA elected to abandon this health care experi­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ment and offer its employees only FEHB HON. BERNARD SANDERS Tuesday , June 10, 1997 health care options. However, under current OF VERMONT Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I am law, all employees must have 5 years of con­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES pleased to introduce today, H.R. 1836, the tinuous enrollment in the FEHB Program to Tuesday, June 10, 1997 Federal Employee Health Care Protection Act carry their health benefit coverage into retire­ Mr. SANDERS. Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of 1997. This is significant legislation for our ment. As a result a number of employees who Federal employees and taxpayers because it of my colleagues, I would like to have printed retired during the years when the FED had its in the RECORD this statement by a high school will help strengthen the integrity and standards own health care system, and some employees of the Federal Employees Health Benefit student from Canaan Memorial High School in currently approaching retirement, are not eligi­ [FEHB] Program, and allow it to maintain its Vermont, who was speaking at my recent reputation as a high quality and cost-effective ble for FEHB coverage. The FDIC faces a town meeting on issues facing young people. program. H.R. 1836 includes three main provi­ similar situation because it plans to eliminate Mr. HOULE: Congressman Sanders, imagine its alternative health insurance plan at the end if you will a world where you have personal sions that will improve and protect the FEHB choice and freedom to express your inner Program. First, it gives OPM better tools to of 1997, and go with FEHB options. Without thoughts and soul through forms of art and deal swiftly with health care providers who try this legislation, the FDIC and the Board will media. It would be a world where if someone to defraud or abuse the FEHB Program, sec­ have to establish a non-FEHB plan for those was offended, they would make the choice ond, it requires full disclosure of discounted employees who are ineligible for coverage. not to listen, but they would not try to sup­ rate agreements between health care pro­ This would be administratively burdensome press your right to express it. In this world viders and health benefit carriers to prevent everyone respects an individual's right to and costly to these Federal agencies and, ulti­ free expression and speech. the fraudulent use of such discounts, and mately, to taxpayers. Under this proposal, Recently K-Mart has said they refuse to third, it provides the same Federal health ben­ these ineligible employees would be offered sell CDS with offensive lyrics. This is bla­ efits coverage for Federal Deposit Insurance FEHB coverage at no additional cost to the tant censorship. When someone tries to take Corporation and Federal Reserve Board em­ away your right to hear something, it is cen­ ployees that other Federal employees have. Government. sorship. The FEHB Program is the largest employer­ The third key provision in this bill would re­ There have been many incidents in the sponsored health insurance system in the quire FEHB carriers and their subcontractors United States recently in which censorship country. In 1997, the $16 billion FEHB Pro­ has become a factor. For example, in Arizona to disclose in writing any discounted rate con­ Newt Gingrich calls for the closing of the gram will insure more than 9 million Federal tracts with health care providers. If carriers do Flag Art Exhibit. In Florida a Cuban schol­ employees, retirees, and their dependents. not include the required disclosure, they will ar's visit was canceled after a citizens pro­ Partial portability, no preexisting condition limi­ be prohibited from accessing discounts. I be­ test. In Utah a printing company refused to tation, and an annual open enrollment period reproduce photos for a women's magazine. In lieve that this language is necessary because are facets of the FEHB Program that make it Michigan a ."Where Do Queers Come From" an extremely attractive health care system. it will eliminate the practice of silent preferred exhibit at a local college was closed. And fi­ The free enterprise-based program has effec­ provider networks [PPO's]. Under conventional nally in Kentucky, "Blasphemous art" tively contained costs through private sector PPO arrangements, networks offer enrollees caused an outcry at the University of Ken­ discounted fees to use network providers, or tucky. In school libraries Ernest Heming­ competition with limited governmental inter­ way's novels are banned as are several good vention. The program is often cited as a model preferred providers. However, under silent pieces of literature. Around the world films of efficiency and effectiveness that the private PPO's, these discounts are being applied to are banned and are censored. Film festivals sector and the public sector should attempt to patients that are not contractually covered by and exhibitions are censored as well. replicate. The bill I introduced today will im­ the PPO network. I have great concerns over Our grounds for this censorship is broad and well-defined, but are speculative and prove the program and its performance, with­ the ethics and legality of the practice of these out changing the market principles that are the opinionated. Unfortunately, opinions vary types of organizations. The effect of such and freedom of speech is a right, but unfortu­ key to the program's success. practices is to reduce carriers' free market nately rights are being ignored and opinions One of the most important provisions of this bargaining power. It also undermines the are preordained. bill addresses the debarment of health care value of, and jeopardizes the expansion of, le­ As you can see, censorship is alive and well providers engaging in fraudulent practices. in America where our First Amendment This provision would strengthen the ability of gitimate PPO networks. According to the right is supposed to be enforced. It has got­ OPM to bar FEHB Program participation by, American Hospital Association, discounts paid ten so bad around the world that the life of and impose monetary penalties on, health to silent PPO's may account for as much as Salman Rushdie was threatened for writing care providers in the FEHB Program who en­ $1 billion in costs for providers throughout the The Satanic Verses. It's gotten so bad that we've had to turn to a porno king, Larry gage in professional or financial misconduct. industry. This type of abusive practice should Flynt as a savior of the First Amendment Under this bill, the administrative sanctions au­ not be allowed in the health care arena, and right. thority would conform more closely with the I believe that the language in this bill will ad­ Basically what it comes down to is if it of­ Medicare Program, particularly with regard to dress this problem and protect providers, pa­ fends you, you can always turn the other grounds for imposing sanctions and the gen­ tients, and legitimate PPO's. cheek. Pornography even has its value. Some eral availability of post-termination appellant people just cannot live without their pornog­ rights. I believe that the changes made in this leg­ raphy, and if it was not for pornography they islative proposal are important to help improve could be doing much worse things. Another important component of this bill is If you deny someone's right to see some­ that it would provide consistent health benefit and strengthen the FEHB Program. I urge my thing or say something that they want to coverage for employees of the Federal Re­ colleagues to join me in supporting this essen­ say, that eventually they are just going to serve Board [FED] and the Federal Deposit In- tial legislation. explode. e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Mateer set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. 10540 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS June 10, 1997 I myself do not want a burned flag, but I A CONGRATULATORY STATEMENT Inside each one of us there burns a flame of think if someone wants to protest that way TO SANJAY SHARMA love, hope, and leadership; and from that it should be allowed because I know myself I flame, there shines a light of character and do not pledge allegiance to th e flag, I pledge personality. This light, inside each of us, is allegiance to the country. HON. DANNY K. DAVIS enveloped by a cocoon of windows that are OF ILLINOIS enclosed by shutters. One by one, Democracy In conclusion: one can censor a work of art IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES throws up those shutters, opens those win­ but not the idea. The idea will fester and Tuesday, June 10, 1997 dows, and allows the light within us to shine come out in a much more explosive, some­ forth. times more violent way. Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise to Bringing freedom, responsibility, and op­ Thank you for your time, Congressman congratulate Sanjay Sharma, a junior at St. Ig­ portunity into our lives, democracy chal­ Sanders.