Grace Napolitano: “Last Friday, Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and my colleague Xavier Becerra joined me for a rally and press conference at…”

“Last Friday, Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and my colleague Xavier Becerra joined me for a rally and press conference at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center to unveil the nationwide internet petition calling for a Patients' Bill of Rights. Based on the enthusiasm of the large crowd that morning, my guess is that this is going to be a popular petition across my State and our Nation. And there is good reason for it to be popular. The petition, at www.familiesusa.org calls for a meaningful Patients' Bill of Rights--A Patients' Bill of Rights that guarantees: access to specialists, choice of health coverage, by offering an alternative to HMO's of that is all an employer can provide. access to emergency care whenever and wherever it is needed, the right of patients to hold their HMO accountable, protection for providers who advocate for patients, and, access to approved clinical trials when no other treatment is available. The importance of guaranteeing these rights cannot be overstated. Passage of a meaningful Patients' Bill of Rights will save lives.”