Political Quotes

“I find it ironic that the same people that preached and lectured this Congress about the importance of personal responsibility and accountability for one's actions during the welfare reform bill are taking the opposite position on managed care reform. This is really about the same thing: being accountable for the decisions we make. We should be responsible for our actions, whether one is a Member of Congress voting, a welfare recipient looking for work, or an HMO deciding not to pay for a test or a procedure that the doctor says is medically necessary. Why should HMOs be given preferential treatment and held to a different standard than the doctors they employ or the patient that they are supposed to serve? The Republican managed care bill will not hold HMOs accountable when they make these medical decisions. One thing this decision does is clearly define where everyone stands on the issue. We should be fighting for a bill that requires timely internal and external appeals; access to specialists or special needs; point of service choice for employees and the patients; open communication between patients and their doctors; no gag rule; and accountability of the medical decision-maker. We need real health care reform, not a false hope.”