[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14508]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  SUPPORT THE PATIENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS

  (Mr. RODRIGUEZ asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, too many times when Americans get sick, 
not only do they have to fight their illness, but they also have to 
fight their managed care company. That is not right. It is up to the 
Congress now to make things happen.
  For the last 2 years, we passed a bill and the Republicans have 
killed it in conference committee. It is time to pass the bill. If my 
colleagues agree with me that one should see the doctor of one's 
choice, then they should vote for this. If they agree that that doctor 
should have the decision to decide if one should see a specialist or 
not, then they should be in favor of this. If they agree that we should 
not have a gag order, that doctors should be able to provide the 
options that one should have, then my colleagues should vote for the 
Patients' Bill of Rights.
  Mr. Speaker, it is up to us now. It allows a review. We did it in 
Texas. The then Governor, now President Bush, decided then to allow it 
to go through. Now he has a problem with it. We are only asking that we 
do the same thing that we have allowed in Texas and that is to allow an 
opportunity for people to see a doctor of their choice, to allow an 
opportunity for the physicians to decide on the specialists, to allow 
them an opportunity to have an external review.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues support the Patients' Bill of 
Rights.

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