Monday, June 12, 2000 | 10 a.m.
It is encouraging that a patient's bill of rights came within a whisker on Thursday of becoming a reality. This HMO reform legislation, which already had passed the House last year, was defeated 51-48, but the fact the vote was so close signals that the bill is gathering momentum. Indeed, when a much weaker patient protection bill was voted on previously in the Senate, only two Republicans sided with Democrats, who were unanimous in their support of HMO reform; on Thursday there were four Republicans who voted in favor of patient's rights. This development has emboldened Democrats, who say they will bring up the legislation again this year.
The Senate Republican leadership, meanwhile, is accusing Democrats of grandstanding by calling for last week's vote while members of the House and Senate were trying to reach a compromise. While Senate Republicans have made a few concessions, the fact is their proposal still doesn't come close to matching the bipartisan legislation passed last October in the House by a 275-151 vote. The House legislation, which was opposed by its Republican leadership, would cover most of the 168 million Americans who have private insurance. Not only would the House bill guarantee more patient protections, such as allowing patients to appeal to an outside panel if an insurer rejected medical care, but the legislation also would allow people to sue their insurers if they had been harmed.
And despite the GOP Senate leadership's protests that last week's vote could set back negotiations, it's always been doubtful these back-room discussions would produce a meaningful compromise. Their real purpose has been to bottle up the legislation before Congress adjourns in this legislative session, which has been shortened due to this year's election. If anything, the razor-thin margin of Thursday's vote could put some pressure on moderate Republicans to join Democrats and even go along with their brethren in the House who have advocated reform. While a patient's bill of rights, which is immensely popular with the public, seemingly is within grasp, don't yet count out the power of the influential insurance lobby. After all, the Republican congressional leadership is pulling out all the stops to help this industry. The key now is whether enough Republic ans in the Senate will have the courage to rebuff both their party leadership and the HMOs, and give patients the protectio! ns they deserve when dealing with abusive insurers.
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