James M. Jeffords: “today, I join with my good friend Senator Lieberman to introduce the Health Care Quality, Education, Security, and Trust…”

“today, I join with my good friend Senator Lieberman to introduce the Health Care Quality, Education, Security, and Trust Act--``The Health Care QUEST Act''--in order to improve the quality of our nation's health care system and provide necessary consumer protections without adding significant new costs; increasing litigation; or micro managing health plans. Over the past decade across the country, an extraordinary change has taken place in the delivery of health care. In 1996, over 67% of Americans received their health care through managed care--almost double the percentage that existed in 1990. However, this transition has not been problem-free. Many consumers worry that the quality of their health care is being sacrificed to cut costs. While the traditional fee-for-service health care system was guilty of over utilization and runaway costs, consumers did feel that they would get the necessary services, treatment, and information to recover from a serious illness or manage a chronic health problem. People are now worried that managed care only manages costs and, in effect, rations care. One consequence of this transformation is that Americans are losing confidence in the quality of care they receive from our health system. The American Association of Health Plans' voluntary initiative to respond to these concerns, ``Putting Patients First,'' is an important step and I urge that they continue to expand this effort.”