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| Patient's
Bill of Rights I have pushed for the adoption of an enforceable Patients' Bill of Rights for many years. Everyone must be accountable for their actions. Today in America there are only two groups who have immunity - foreign diplomats and HMOs. I believe that is wrong and that is why I have supported giving patients the legal tools to seek redress if they are seriously harmed by their HMO. In 1997, I introduced the Employee Health Insurance Accountability Act. This bill lifted the veil of immunity from HMOs that cause harm to their patients. The bill was incorporated into later Democratic Patients' Bill of Rights legislation. Last year, I supported the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act, which was approved by the Senate but has remained trapped in negotiations between the House of Representatives and Senate for over a year. This bill gives doctors the flexibility to exercise their best medical judgment and guarantees that patients will receive the treatment and care trained professionals deem necessary. In addition, the legislation is enforceable - it makes sure that managed care organizations and other entities making life and death decisions are held accountable in court for the medical decisions they make that harm patients. We must get past the partisan impasse holding up this bill and pass the Patients' Bill of Rights. |
SENATOR DICK DURBIN'S LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA |