    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [July 15, 1999]
    [Page 1225]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Senate Action on Patients' Bill of Rights Legislation
    July 15, 1999

        Tonight's party line vote for a weak, unenforceable Patients' Bill
    of Rights is the wrong course for America. The Republican leadership's
    bill is a Patients' Bill of Rights in name only.
        It fails to protect more than 110 million Americans including the
    vast majority of Americans in HMO's. For those it does cover, this bill
    fails to ensure patients' access to the specialists they need; fails to
    ensure patients the rights to keep their doctors throughout a course, a
    treatment; fails to prevent insurance company accountants from making
    final calls on medical decisions; and it fails to hold health plans
    accountable for actions that harm their patients.
        If Congress insists on passing such an empty promise to the American
    people, I will not sign the bill. Passing a strong, enforceable
    Patients' Bill of Rights should not be a partisan issue. This should be
    about protecting patients, not insurance companies.
        We will not stop working on this critical issue until we provide
    patients the protections they need. The American people know the
    difference between a good and bad bill. Every major doctors, nurses, and
    patients organization in the country knows the difference. I believe
    that the will of the people will still prevail in this Congress.