Political Quotes

“today, the Senate will begin serious consideration of one of the most important issues for every family in America--genuine protections for patients in managed care plans. As many of my colleagues know, this issue has been one of my top priorities for a very long time and I am very pleased that real debate has begun on the McCain, Edwards, Kennedy bill--a bipartisan compromise for a meaningful Patients' Bill of Rights. It is important to note that there has been a tremendous amount of work done to get to this point. This truly is a compromise. It is truly bipartisan. I congratulate my colleagues for working so hard. I am very proud to be one of the cosponsors of this bill. I strongly believe that every person has a right to affordable quality health care. Whether we are talking about access to nursing homes, prescription drugs for seniors, or the Patients' Bill of Rights, I have fought to improve health care for every American. As we start this debate, I remind all of my colleagues that this debate is about real people and their real experiences with HMOs. We have not made this up. This is about real people who have come to us who have expressed concerns. They paid for health care. They assumed that their families would have it when they needed it. Too many people find out that when it is time for that care to be given, whether it is in an emergency room, whether it is a doctor recommending a form of treatment, they are not able to receive it for their family.”