[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14093]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                 MANAGED CARE REFORM DISCHARGE PETITION

  (Mr. GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we began signing a 
discharge petition to bring the HMO reform bill to the floor of the 
House, simply because of the refusal to bring up the Patients' Bill of 
Rights for debate on this floor. The American people have been very 
clear about their desire for meaningful HMO reform. It is estimated 
that 122 million Americans who have insurance do not have these same 
patient protections.
  In my home State of Texas, we passed health care legislation similar 
to the Patients' Bill of Rights, which has proven to be very 
successful. However, we still have 8 million insured people in Texas 
who fall under ERISA, which preempts Texas law, who do not have these 
basic patient protections.
  This is not about politics, it is about fairness, protection and 
accountability. The American people deserve a Patients' Bill of Rights 
that eliminates gag clauses, open access to specialists, external and 
timely appeals, coverage for emergency room care for families to go to 
the closest emergency room, and accountability for medical decisions.

                              {time}  1015

  Mr. Speaker, the American people cannot afford any more delays. We 
need to support the Patients' Bill of Rights. Let us sign that 
discharge petition today.

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