Battle Rages In Congress Over Patients' Rights
Washington
With President George W. Bush threatening to veto any legislation that subjects employers and health plans to extensive litigation, the debate over a patients bill of rights heated up both in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives last week.
The main bone of contention remains the extent to which patients would be able to sue their employers and health plans over adverse coverage decisions that cause death or significant harm.
The Washington-based Health Insurance Association of America released a study last week arguing that S. 872–the legislation introduced by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz.–amounts to a "pot of gold" for trial lawyers.
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