[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
[July 16, 1999]
[Pages 1230-1231]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Exchange With Reporters in Des Moines
July 16, 1999

Patients' Bill of Rights Legislation

    Q. Mr. President, do you have any reaction to Senator Lott's 
comments----
    The President. I can understand why he'd be 
uncomfortable about what he did. He denied the American people the right 
to the patient

[[Page 1231]]

protections he has. So they feel uncomfortable. But it's not too late; 
they can still change their position. They ought to think about--it's 
not a matter of name calling. Their budget office told him it would only 
cost $2 a month premium. They've ignored their own budget people; 
they've now ignored everybody, and they basically signed up with the 
health insurance companies against all the doctors and all the nurses 
and all the patients in America and denied other people what those of us 
in the Federal Government enjoy. I don't think it's right. But it's not 
too late to do right.

Note: The exchange began at approximately 3 p.m. at Amos Hiatt Middle 
School. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this 
exchange.