[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 104 (Tuesday, July 24, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H4432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2001, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) is recognized 
during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PENCE. Mr. Speaker, waiting on the horizon of this legislative 
week is the debate over the Patients' Bill of Rights. There has been 
much heat about this subject but very little light.
  As Dr. Daniel Johnson memorably wrote in the July issue of the Wall 
Street Journal, ``The debate over the patients' bill of rights is 
predictable. The Democrats favor more regulation. The Republicans favor 
less regulation. The insurers are holding on to their wallets, and 
trial lawyers smell blood.''
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Johnson went on to write, ``Now that the Senate has 
passed its bill, we can expect another bloody clash in the House, but 
beyond today's battle lies the possibility of a system that will make 
life easier for all concerned, not only employers and insurers but 
patients and physicians.''
  It is, Mr. Speaker, seizing on that opportunity that I rise in this 
Chamber today.
  I came to Congress earlier this year anxious to support a Patients' 
Bill of Rights. The one that has captured my imagination and the one 
that I believe should capture the majority in the House of 
Representatives is that offered by my friend and colleague, a physician 
and the gentleman from the State of Kentucky, (Mr. Fletcher).
  The Fletcher bill offers three key factors that I believe the people 
of East Central Indiana need in a Patients' Bill of Rights. First, the 
Fletcher bill expands access to medical savings accounts so that more 
Americans can save money to pay for health care. This provision, Mr. 
Speaker, will drastically reduce the ranks of the uninsured in our 
country and will give patients more control over their health care 
decisions.
  Secondly, the Fletcher bill holds the right people responsible when 
patients are denied care or receive poor care. If an insurer or health 
plan makes a decision that harms a patient, the plan or the insurer 
will be held accountable in Federal and in State courts.
  Finally, the Fletcher bill provides increased access to health 
insurance through associated health plans, allowing small businesses to 
join together to purchase health insurance. This will permit them to 
receive the same benefits of uniform regulation, economies of scale and 
administrative efficiency that large companies currently enjoy.
  As I said, Mr. Speaker, there has been and likely this week will 
continue to be a great deal of heat and just a little bit of light in 
the debate over a Patients' Bill of Rights. But I rise today to urge my 
colleagues to strongly support the Fletcher legislation, a Patients' 
Bill of Rights that will protect not only patients and physicians but 
also our employer-based health insurance system in America.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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