For immediate
release:
September 29, 2000
Today’s new census figures show the insurance industry’s
argument against the patients’ bill of rights – that the bill
would raise the number of uninsured -- has again been shown to
be just another big lie. “The AMA wants to set the record
straight,” said Thomas
R. Reardon, MD, AMA Immediate Past President.
“Today’s census figures show there are fewer uninsured
Americans today, despite a two-year increase in health
insurance premiums. If insurers are going to put their profits
before the patients of America, they should at least stick to
the facts. Increased premiums have not increased the number of
uninsured, and yet patients still wait for protection against
managed care abuses,” Dr. Reardon said.
“More than 17 million patients have had their care delayed
or denied since the U.S. House of Representatives
overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan patients’ bill of rights
last October. That’s 50,000 people a day. That’s one person
every two seconds who is suffering because the Senate has not
acted to protect them.”
“Fear mongering about increased cost has been the HMO’s
rallying cry against patients’ rights, and yet cost is no
concern when premium increases add to insurance profits or CEO
compensation. One insurance company CEO’s total compensation
package is more than $52 million. That could cover a lot of
denied care.”
“And there’s no end to the millions of dollars HMOs are
spending to fight patients’ bill of rights. Millions of
dollars that could be going to provide the care patients need
are going to insurance industry profits, fat CEO compensation
packages, and advertising to cloud the need for patients’
rights.”
“The vast majority of Americans – 87 percent -- support
passing a patients’ bill of rights. Americans are not fools.
Americans know a good bill when they see one; they also know a
‘big lie’ when they hear one. The AMA calls on all Senators to
reject the insurers’ “big lie” and pass a real patients’ bill
of rights for the patients of America.”
For more information, please call:
Brenda L. Craine
202/789-7447