Albert Russell Wynn: “now that Congress is back in session, the debate over HMO reform will really begin. It will really heat up. We will hear…”

“now that Congress is back in session, the debate over HMO reform will really begin. It will really heat up. We will hear from the Republican side of the aisle a lot of gimmicks. They will talk about health marks, and they will talk about medical savings accounts. What we have to understand is that the key to HMO reform is simply this: timely access to needed medical services and the ability to enforce that right. That is what the Democratic plan would do, because it would give patients the right to sue HMOs when HMOs make decisions that deny their patients' rights and adversely affect their health care. The Republican plan does not offer that benefit because they are afraid to take on the HMOs and the insurance industry. Let me give my colleagues an example in my district. It is a typical example. A young man is in a bicycle accident. He faces facial disfigurement. His medical doctor says he ought to take a certain course of treatment, but the HMO says no, we are not going to pay for that treatment. Let me tell my colleagues, if the HMO could be sued for failing to allow necessary treatment, they would change their tune. That is what the debate for HMO reform is all about. I hope we will adopt the Democratic approach.”