Frank Pallone: “tonight I would like to talk about the Patients' Bill of Rights, the managed care reform legislation which will be…”

“tonight I would like to talk about the Patients' Bill of Rights, the managed care reform legislation which will be considered on the floor of the House of Representatives next week. My happiness, if you will, over the fact that the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives has said that they will allow a debate on HMO reform next week that will include the Patients' Bill of Rights is somewhat tempered by my concern that the way they may set up the procedure for the debate and the consideration of managed care reform, or HMO reform, may in fact be nothing more than a way to try to kill effective HMO reform and essentially end up with a bill that passes the House and that goes to the Senate that does not accomplish the goal of providing real patient protections. I just wanted to mention very briefly, if I could, why we need the Patients' Bill of Rights and why my concern about what the Republican leadership may try to do is legitimate.”