[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12088]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



    PUT MEDICAL DECISIONS BACK IN THE HANDS OF DOCTORS AND PATIENTS

  (Ms. McCOLLUM asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, let us put medical decisions back in the 
hands of doctors and patients and ahead of special interests and their 
slick TV commercials. Let us pass a strong Patients' Bill of Rights.
  In my home State of Minnesota, I worked very hard, and in Minnesota, 
like many other States, we have strong patient protection laws. Those 
who are covered under Minnesota law have access to specialists when 
they need them. Every American deserves that right. No one should have 
to jump through hoops or swim a sea of red tape to get the doctor they 
need when they need to see one. A patient's doctor knows when they need 
to see a specialist, and Americans should not have to wait for approval 
by some profit-driven bureaucrats.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan Ganske-
Dingell bill. It is time for sound, responsible managed care reforms 
and meaningful patient protection.

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