On the recordSeptember 19, 2000
I want to mention something that really has received no attention because it goes to what my colleague from Louisiana was saying. If you rely on the private sector and you have multiple plans out there, lower prices for seniors, better choices of pharmaceuticals, you also could use, and our seniors could have used it at this very time as HCFA is driving the Medicare HMOs out of the business, an ombudsman office. And our bill puts in it a new office that is separate from HCFA, within the government but separate from HCFA, who will help them when they need help, help them find the right coverage if they cannot find it, if they need to appeal the government's decision that they can or cannot have certain care. Then this ombudsman will help them get the information together and make that appeal. Under current law, they have effectively no appeal rights.
Source
govinfo.gov
