For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 15, 2001
President's Statement on Patients' Bill of Rights
The bipartisan proposal introduced today by Senators Frist, Breaux, and
Jeffords makes important progress in our efforts to provide patients
with a strong and effective Patients' Bill of Rights.
This bipartisan Patients' Bill of Rights reflects the principles I laid
out earlier this year. It provides strong patient
protections for all Americans, ensures that doctors and patients make
medical decisions, and holds health plans accountable by providing
patients with meaningful remedies when they have been wrongly denied
medical care. The bill also protects employers and their
employees from unnecessary litigation that would increase health care
premiums and force too many Americans to do without health insurance.
Congress has been long divided over this issue. I applaud
Senators Frist, Breaux and Jeffords and the many patient and provider
groups working with them for finding a common sense compromise.
I am similarly encouraged by the bipartisan discussions on this issue
between the Administration and Speaker Hastert and other House
leaders. These efforts, combined with the introduction of this
bipartisan bill in the Senate, give me great hope that the Congress
will send a good Patients' Bill of Rights to my desk this year.
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