Jon L. Christensen: “now that we are back from the Independence Day recess and the celebrations, the passage of the Patients' Bill of Rights…”

“now that we are back from the Independence Day recess and the celebrations, the passage of the Patients' Bill of Rights, the one introduced by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), must be at the top of our agenda. This bill, the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act of 2001, is the only one which comprehensively reforms the current managed care system to better meet the needs of those who elected us. During the break misinformation and scare tactics continued. It is important that the American public know the truth. Many of the ads say that the bill would raise the cost of insurance. Not true. What they fail to say is that in the past 3 years or so, the cost of managed care has already increased at an average of 7.1 percent, and the increase is projected to be in double digits for this year. The ads also fail to tell us that while the costs have gone up, less services are covered. Where the same provisions have been enacted in States, there have not been any extraordinary increases in premiums or significant increases in lawsuits. What has happened is that the people in those States have been able to access medically necessary health care, and we need to extend that to the rest of the Nation. Mr. Speaker, let us pass the bill and let us move on to reduce disparities and provide universal coverage.”