Byron Dorgan: “this is a well-intentioned amendment, but it must be defeated because it is aimed right at the heart of this patients'…”

“this is a well-intentioned amendment, but it must be defeated because it is aimed right at the heart of this patients' rights bill, right at the core of the bill. The question is, Who is going to make the decisions? Who will make decisions about medical care? An MBA or an MD? Who do we want to make the decisions about medical care? The McCain-Edwards-Kennedy bill allows doctors and patients to make fundamental decisions about their care. It will be based on medical necessity and appropriateness and supported by valid, relevant scientific and clinical evidence. In other words, if an HMO makes an arbitrary decision about some kind of a treatment they believe is not medically necessary, based on its own inadequate definition of 'medical necessity,' the reviewers would be able to overturn that and advocate treatment. Under this amendment put before the Senate, the patient would be bound to the HMO's decision and have literally no options; the independent reviewer would have no authority whatsoever to recommend treatment if it was needed.”