[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 30 (Monday, July 27, 1998)]
[Pages 1475-1476]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on House of Representatives Action on Patients' Bill of Rights 
Legislation

July 24, 1998

    The Patients' Bill of Rights should not be designed for the 
political needs of any party; it should be designed to meet the health 
needs of all Americans. Unfortunately, the House Republicans passed 
legislation today that simply does not meet this test. This bill leaves 
out millions of Americans; it leaves out critical patient protections; 
and it adds in ``poison pill'' provisions which undermine the 
possibility of passing a strong bipartisan Patients' Bill of Rights this 
year.
    The Republican leadership's legislation does not apply to the 
individual insurance market and therefore excludes millions of 
Americans. It does not include many important protections such as 
ensuring direct access to specialists, so that patients can see the 
cancer doctors or heart specialists that they need, or ensuring that 
care will not abruptly change if a patient's provider is unexpectedly 
dropped or an employer changes health plans. Moreover, the enforcement

[[Page 1476]]

mechanism in this legislation is insufficient as it gives little 
recourse to patients who are injured or who die because of a health 
plan's actions. Finally, this legislation is undermined by provisions 
that have nothing to do with patients' rights.
    Americans want a Patients' Bill of Rights that gives them the 
protections they need in a rapidly changing health care system. The 
legislation passed by the House Republicans today falls far short of 
ensuring Americans the quality care they need and deserve. It is my 
strongest hope that the Senate will move quickly to have a fair and open 
debate that can produce a strong, enforceable, and bipartisan Patients' 
Bill of Rights this year.