[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 23, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H1570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    PUTTING PATIENTS BEFORE PROFITS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, since arriving in Congress over a year ago, 
I have been fighting for a real Patients' Bill of Rights. I am an 
original cosponsor of this landmark legislation to rein in health 
maintenance organizations, the HMOs, and to return decision-making 
power to patients and their doctors. I am committed to seeing that 
Congress take decisive action and pass this bill now.
  The only way to make comprehensive HMO reform a reality is to work 
together in a bipartisan way. That is why I was so disappointed last 
July when powerful special interests overpowered patients and blocked 
efforts to bring such a comprehensive HMO reform bill to the floor. 
Instead, they rammed through a Band-Aid that would have done nothing to 
actually protect patients. Our health care system needs serious 
medicine, not a political placebo.
  The American people deserve better.
  As a nurse, I know firsthand the importance of health care that is 
accessible, of high quality, patient-centered health care. Basic 
patients' rights can often mean the difference between life and death.
  As a Member of Congress, I was recently appointed to the House 
Committee on Commerce which oversees much of our Nation's health 
policy. If we are to accomplish anything in the field of health care, 
passing comprehensive managed care reform must be at the top of our 
agenda this session of Congress.
  Medical decisions need to be made by patients and their doctors, and 
patients should have all of the information they need to make these 
critical decisions. These are the plain truths about health care.
  Mr. Speaker, this historic measure will guarantee patients basic 
rights by allowing people to choose their own doctors, ending 
oppressive gag rules so patients have access to all critical treatment 
options and establishing health care quality and information standards 
which we can all follow. Most importantly, this bill will hold HMOs 
accountable by giving patients critical legal recourse when insurance 
companies deny necessary medical coverage. If patients can sue their 
doctors for poor care, they should be able to sue the big insurance 
bureaucrats who determine these cost-cutting decisions.
  Mr. Speaker, last weekend I was privileged to join my colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle at the bipartisan retreat in Hershey, 
Pennsylvania. There people of many different philosophical political 
backgrounds talked about the need to restore civility to government and 
make our constituents proud. In the spirit of Hershey, I sincerely hope 
that all of our colleagues will work together to pass in this session a 
real Patients' Bill of Rights. By putting patients before profits, we 
can be a Congress that does something real and finally passes 
comprehensive managed care reform legislation now while we have the 
opportunity before it is too late.

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