[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15619]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         PUTTING PATIENTS FIRST

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, throughout the past several months I have 
been listening to my constituents during town hall meetings and other 
listening sessions to hear just exactly what it is we need to do and 
what we need to change. I believe we do need a Patients' Bill of 
Rights, not a lawyers' right to bill.
  I support increasing access to health care for all Americans and 
ensuring that all patients can receive health care and hold HMOs 
accountable. The Patients' Bill of Rights Act of 2001 is comprehensive, 
bipartisan legislation that will increase the quality of health care 
for all Americans and small businesses will be better able to offer 
health insurance for employees through association health plans and 
expanded medical savings accounts.
  Mr. Speaker, patients need to be protected and this plan gives 
patients access, access to emergency room and specialties care, direct 
access to obstetricians, gynecologists, and pediatricians; access to 
needed prescription drugs and approved clinical trials and access to 
health plan information. It also ensures that patients have the right 
to choose their doctor with continuity of care and protection that 
allows patients to definitely see their own doctors even when they are 
terminally ill, pregnant, or awaiting critical surgery. Let us pass the 
Patients' Bill of Rights Act of 2001.

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