[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 96 (Friday, July 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H5742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT HEALTH CARE PLANS

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, it is very important for the American 
public to understand the difference between the Democrat's managed care 
reform proposal, the Patient's Bill of Rights, as opposed to the 
Republican sham managed care reform proposal which we will be 
considering most likely next week.
  First, we need a national remedy for a national problem. No State has 
passed legislation which deals with all the major areas of managed care 
consumer protection.
  Second, the Republican Senate proposal does not apply to most 
Americans. Many of its provisions will only cover individuals involved 
in self-insured, employer-sponsored plans.
  Third, the Congressional Budget Office has shown that the costs of 
the Democratic plan are minimal, only $2 per month for the average 
person.
  In addition, the Republican plans do not prohibit HMOs from offering 
bonuses to doctors for denying necessary care; the Republican proposals 
do not guarantee the right of patients to use specialists as their 
primary care providers; and, most important, the Republican plans do 
not provide for the enforcement of patient protections. They continue 
to protect health insurance companies' special interest exemption from 
legal responsibility; and, as the President said, a right without a 
remedy is worthless.

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