Eva M. Clayton: “I oppose this rule both on process and content. The process indeed should have allowed us to at least know what the…”

“I oppose this rule both on process and content. The process indeed should have allowed us to at least know what the amendments were. But even on content, all of us say that we want to have a Patients' Bill of Rights. When there is an amendment to undercut the very rights that you purport to have, I am not sure how you can say that we all are supporting a Patients' Bill of Rights. The right of enforcement of legislation is the integrity of your words when you say you have a Patients' Bill of Rights. Do we need a Patients' Bill of Rights? Yes. Why do we need it? We need it because there are children who are sick who need to have the opportunity to see a specialist. There are women who need to go to the emergency room or to see their OB-GYN. There are sick older people who need to be rushed for cardiac treatment. All of these are things we know, that we experience from family members. This rule will not allow that to happen. Indeed, this is a fraud. We should make sure that we vote down this rule and allow us to have a more deliberative debate.”