[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 100 (Thursday, July 23, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H6190-H6191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATIC PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS

  (Mr. FAZIO of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. FAZIO of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remind my 
colleagues about the real priorities of managed care reform. A woman 
from the Sacramento community I represent has waged a 4-year battle 
with her former employer and its self-insured ERISA plan. This woman is 
in court because her firm denied her care for her 7-year-old son born 
with a spinal cord injury facing many of the same challenges as actor 
Christopher Reeves. The law that shields employers who self-insure from 
accepting responsibility for denied medical services leaves this family 
with no health care for their son. When the plan started to refuse 
coverage, this woman had to choose between a job she was good at and 
enjoyed and the well-being of her child. So she quit her job to give 
her child nursing care 24 hours a day. But without this income, the 
family was forced into bankruptcy and lost its business.

[[Page H6191]]

  While this case has dragged on in the courts, the brave little boy at 
the center of this tragedy has learned to walk and ride a bike. But his 
medical needs are still not being met. This debate is about helping 
hard-working families like this one get the best health care possible 
for their families. Nothing more, nothing less. To obtain this we need 
to support the Patients' Bill of Rights and oppose the unenforceable 
Republican plan.

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