[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 25 (Wednesday, March 11, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONGRESS MUST ENSURE THAT MANAGED CARE IS QUALITY CARE

  (Mr. ALLEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, health care is in transition. Private and 
public purchasers of health care are turning to managed care. Today, 
more than 160 million Americans are in managed care plans.
  The shift to managed care has implications for health care quality. 
Managed care must be more than managed cost.
  On the cover of today's Washington Post is a story about a woman who 
fell from a cliff while hiking. She had fractures to her skull, arm and 
pelvis. Her HMO refused to pay her hospital bills, saying she had 
failed to obtain preauthorization. Only after several court battles did 
the HMO pay anything for this woman's care.
  This is unacceptable. Individuals must have access to and payment for 
emergency care in any situation that a prudent layperson would regard 
as an emergency. Every American deserves quality care. Managed care 
reforms are necessary to ensure that managed care is quality care.

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