[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 11 (Thursday, February 12, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E168]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE MEDICARE MANAGED HEALTH CARE SUNSHINE ACT OF 1998

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                         HON. E. CLAY SHAW, JR.

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 12, 1998

  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that 
will require health maintenance organizations (HMOs) under Medicare to 
disclose certain information to individuals who subscribe to an HMO, or 
who are a prospective subscriber to an HMO.
  Specially, my bill would require an HMO to provide Medicare 
subscribers or prospective subscribers with a description of the 
medical education and training received by the HMO's physicians, the 
physicians' history of domestic of foreign medical practice, and the 
position each physician currently holds in the HMO. In addition, my 
bill would require an HMO to disclose to subscribers upon request its 
audited financial statements, as well as the salaries of its five 
highest paid executives. Any promotional material by the HMO would 
state that the above information is available upon request. Overall, my 
bill would allow Medicare HMO subscribers to scrutinize their HMO's 
financial condition to ensure that quality health care delivery is 
being achieved.
  It is time for HMOs, who receive federal dollars and ask for the 
trust of our nation's seniors, to be open and candid about their 
operations. It is time for Medicare HMO subscribers to benefit from 
efficient management. It is time we allowed a little sunshine into our 
nation's Medicare HMOs.
  Mr. Speaker, my bill builds on the reforms passed last year as part 
of the Balanced Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33). Those reforms gave HMO 
subscribers greater protection by giving them access to pertinent 
information about HMOs. This bill is also similar to a bill I 
introduced in the last Congress, H.R. 2249.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important 
legislation.

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