Kucinich: Keep Accounting Standards for Federal Employee Health Plans

Kucinich to offer an amendment to Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill to ensure accounting standards for federal employee health plans

Washington, Jul 23 -

In the wake of recent accounting scandals, Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH), today will offer an amendment to the FY '03 Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill to strike a waiver, granted in the bill, that exempt, the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) from government wide Cost Accounting Standards.

Kucinich's amendment would strike section 513 of the Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill, which is the section that grants a waiver from complying with government-wide cost accounting standards.

"Cost accounting standards are designed to prevent fraud, overcharging and abuse," stated Kucinich. "Given the public's lack of confidence in corporate accounting standards, it makes no sense for Congress to give an exemption for accounting standards to contractors participating in its own health care program, especially when these same accounting standards apply to other federal contractors."

The FY '03 Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill is expected to be on the House floor today, Tuesday, July 23.