Thomas Daschle: “the issue of patient protection is among the most important health questions facing the American people today. In survey…”

“the issue of patient protection is among the most important health questions facing the American people today. In survey after survey, the American people have said without equivocation that they want Congress to deal with this issue. More and more, from places all over the country, we hear reports about victims of our current system and cries for reform. The need to address this issue, this year, has become more and more pronounced. For many months, we have worked in concert with the White House and with our House colleagues to come up with a way to comprehensively respond to the growing array of concerns and problems that people from all over the country have raised as they talk about the current situation we face with regard to health insurance and HMOs. After a great deal of attention, study, thoughtful analysis, and working with over 100 organizations from all philosophical and political persuasions, we have introduced legislation that provides a number of very basic patient protections: providing access to needed specialists including pediatric specialists for children; ensuring access to an independent appeal board when insurance companies deny care and requiring timely resolution of those appeals; guaranteeing access to the closest emergency room so that people don't have to waste precious time as they drive miles to save their insurance company a few dollars; allowing patients to see the same doctor through a pregnancy or a difficult treatment even if…”