Daschle made his statement at a special hearing Thursday on Capitol Hill, where he was joined by other Democratic Senators and several healthcare specialists. He said millions of people in South Dakota and across the country lack basic protections, including access to needed medical specialists and emergency room services, and the right to hold insurance companies accountable when their decisions lead to a patient's injury or death.

"The time has come for Congress to guarantee that American families and their doctors – not their insurance companies -- can decide what type of medical care they receive," Daschle said. "Every week that the Senate fails to act, insurance companies delay or deny medical care to 350,000 Americans. If Republican leaders will allow a vote on our Patients' Bill of Rights, we can pass it in 20 minutes. We have the support. Surely in the last three weeks of this Congress, we can find the time to pass a much-needed Patients Bill of Rights."

Daschle's legislation closely mirrors a bipartisan bill that overwhelmingly passed the House last October that would address the problems faced by families enrolled in managed care plans. His legislation includes:

• Protection for all Americans with private insurance

• Coverage of needed emergency care

• Access to needed specialists

• An independent appeals process that delivers timely decisions when HMOs deny coverage

• The right to hold your health plan accountable when its decisions to deny or delay care lead to injury or death.