Editorial: Patient protection may yet get its due

Friday, July 27, 2001 | 9:51 a.m.

Over the past few years the GOP Congressional leadership's game plan to defeat a patient's bill of rights has been simple -- delay, delay, delay. But that strategy was foiled when Democrats took control of the Senate earlier this year. The Senate then immediately passed a patient's bill of rights, sending it over to the House where it passed easily two years ago.

The Republican House leadership earlier this week said it would wait until at least the fall to have a vote on the legislation (what a surprise), but fortunately they eventually relented, saying they would take a vote next week. The legislation should have been passed years ago -- it is hoped that the House finally follows through and puts doctors, not accountants, back in control of medical care.

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