Editorial: Remove roadblocks to real HMO reform

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2000 | 9:41 a.m.

Today marks the start of talks between Senate and House negotiators to see if they can hash out their differences on a patient's bill of rights, sending President Clinton legislation that he could sign into law. The Senate's bill is so weak, though, that it couldn't seriously be called a patient's bill of rights. Its protections are limited to just 48 million Americans, those whose employers are self-insured. In addition, there are no provisions in the Senate bill allowing a patient to sue his HMO if he has been harmed. In contrast, the legislation that offers the most hope for Americans is the bill that passed the House. The House's version would protect all 161 million Americans who have health insurance and even permit lawsuits against HMOs.

At first glance it would appear as if there might be room to get some substantial legislation passed, especially considering the strong public support for a patient's bill of rights. Unfortunately, as President Clinton noted Wednesday, the problem is that the GOP House leadership has stacked its negotiating team with opponents -- not supporters -- of reform. If a patient's bill of rights doesn't become reality, blame should be placed squarely on the Republican congressional leadership. These Republican leaders have done everything in their power to torpedo important patient protections at the behest of a big GOP campaign contributor -- the health insurance industry -- that has resisted reform.