Lynn C. Woolsey: “Well, you said that maybe some of our colleagues have never experienced the shortcomings of managed care because they…”

“Well, you said that maybe some of our colleagues have never experienced the shortcomings of managed care because they are healthy. Well, oops, maybe it is because they can afford other coverage. It might have something to do with people being wealthy, and I think we have to remember that, and we have to continually remember that if an appeal process does not have real teeth, it is not an appeal process. There is some very good managed care providers in my district, the Sixth Congressional District in California. I mean they are models for the Nation. But I tell you we can be assured that even these good managed care providers are going to have to give up some of their quality, some of their standards if we do not have real reform because they will have to compete, and they will be competing against providers that do not do as well, do not do as much, do not have protections, and everybody is going to lose because we will be slipping sliding to the lowest rung of the ladder; there is no question about it. We have to have real managed care reform, and the doctors in my district want it. They want to be part of making the decision about health care with their patient. They do not want to have to be listening to what a clerk in an insurance company is telling them that they can to or not do for their patient. The patient and the doctor want to make those decisions, and the insurance company is responsible for paying for it.”