Supreme Court Decision Illustrates Need for Congress to Act to Protect Patient's Rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2004

Supreme Court Decision Illustrates Need for Congress to Act to Protect Patient's Rights

(Washington, D.C.) - Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court's decision to reject state laws providing rights to patients to sue managed care companies that deny coverage of "medically necessary" treatment.

"The President and the Republican leadership in Congress can no longer avoid their responsibility to protect patients' rights. The Supreme Court decision makes it clear that the only way to hold insurance companies accountable is to pass a federal law.

"I am joining efforts to re-introduce bi-partisan legislation, essentially the same as legislation passed by the Senate in 2001, which the Republicans in the House cynically let expire in conference. The legislation would guarantee basic, commonsense rights, like the right to emergency care, the right to see a specialist when necessary, the right to have your doctor tell you all of your medical options, not just those the HMO bureaucracy determine are less expensive, and importantly, the right in the most egregious cases of denial of medically necessary treatment for patients to take their HMO to court.

"In the past Republicans have delayed, distracted, and used procedural maneuvers to prevent enactment of a meaningful federal "Patient's Bill of Rights." Patients have already waited too long, now the heat of inaction shines brightly on the President and the Republican leadership in Congress."

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