Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I want to address the issue today of patient protection legislation that is now before the Senate. I would like to thank…”

“I want to address the issue today of patient protection legislation that is now before the Senate. I would like to thank so many of my colleagues who have led the effort to enact sensible patient protection legislation that will protect patients more, give patients more rights, and make sure we keep the costs down so that we will not decrease the number of insured in our country but, in fact, will increase the number of insured people. We would like a goal of every American to have quality health coverage. To do that, we must keep costs down as well as make sure that the quality part of the commitment is kept. Senator Frist, Senator Breaux, and Senator Jeffords have what I think is the best bill. Of all of the alternatives, I think there are parts of each that are similar, and I think all the three major bills will certainly be able to come together. But I think the Frist-Breaux-Jeffords approach is the one that makes the most sense and addresses the issues that are of most concern. Senator Frist, the Senator from Tennessee, is also the only medical doctor in the Senate.”