Political Quotes

“let us get down to basics. Some health plans systematically obstruct, delay and deny care. Some health plans provide excuses instead of coverage. The bipartisan Patients' Bill of Rights has enough teeth in it to deter health plans from cheating their enrollees and enough definition in it to protect health plans and employers from frivolous lawsuits. Yesterday, my Republican colleagues, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Fletcher), the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), introduced legislation endorsed by President Bush and written by the largest insurance companies in the country. It does not give enrollees the right to sue. The language is drafted so that the right to sue cannot actually be exercised. The Republican bill is a sham. I ask President Bush to work with us to put insurance interests aside, to put campaign contributions from insurance interests aside, to work with us in the bipartisan Patients' Bill of Rights. That is the bill that protects patients. That is the bill that restores the patient-physician relationship.”