Ms. KILROY. Mr. Speaker, as we have worked these last several months on the issue of health care, I have engaged my community in a variety of townhall meetings, forums and opportunities for them to let me know what they need out of the health care bill, to tell me their stories. I would like to share one of those with you. My constituent writes, This is not my story, but it is the story of a close friend who died last November at the age of 50. During his life, he was afflicted with diabetes
and heart disease. He was self-employed and could not get health insurance because of his preexisting conditions. A few months prior to his death, he asked me to review a brochure advertising a plan to get discounts on various things, including medical services and drugs, but clearly stated it was not
insurance. I told him the company was not promising anything, only a hope that discounts could be obtained. He was going to pay the $178 per month premium anyway because he couldn't get insurance or any [Page: H8501]
other kind of help. A few months later, he suddenly died.

Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity here with H.R. 3200 to pass a bill of historic proportions to address issues such as this constituent and many Americans are facing, to have a health care plan that is affordable and accessible for all Americans, that will lower the cost of health insurance, to provide a public option that gives people a choice of doctors and plans, and puts an emphasis on prevention and wellness. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.