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The environment for passage of a
Patients' Bill of Rights this year significantly improved on October
6, 2000, when Senator John Ashcroft (R-MO), in a joint press
conference with the AMA and Representative Charlie Norwood (R-GA),
officially joined the ranks of those Senators and US Representatives
who support new bipartisan legislation that would provide true
patient protections.
Senator Ashcroft's support for this
legislation represents the first time that a majority–in both the
House and the Senate–support a real patients' bill of rights
Senator Ashcroft stated: "We must pass patient protection
legislation that puts patients and their doctors in charge of health
care decisions, holds HMOs accountable for abuses, and protects
Americans' access to affordable, high quality health care."
This is excellent news for organized medicine as we head in
the final days of the 106th Congress. Senator Ashcroft's support
clearly signals that this legislation is very much alive and will
likely be considered before Congress adjourns and members return
home to campaign for reelection. The need for a meaningful patients'
bill of rights is clearly an issue that resonates with voters–and
cannot be ignored any longer.
In addition to patient protection legislation, Medical Savings
Accounts (MSAs) are also expected to be a part of the debate over
managed care reform in the 106th Congress. See the latest activity
concerning MSAs here.
More
information on patient protection legislation from the 106th
Congress is available by clicking here. |
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Letter
from AMA and various state medical and specialty associations
re: Medicare Payments to HMOs vs. Meaningful Patients' Rights
Legislation
October
17, 2000 |
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AMA
Letter to Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) re: Compromise Proposals on
Patients' Rights Legislation
October 26, 2000 |
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Letter
to Rep. Jim DeMint (R-SC) re: "Patient Freedom Act of
2000"
October 5,
2000 |
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Letter
to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) Thanking Him for His Continued
Support of Real Patient Protections
October 2, 2000 |
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Letter
to Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK) Addressing Flaws in the Nickles
Patients' Rights Amendment
August 25, 2000 |
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Letter
to House of Representatives Outlining Flaws in Patients'
Rights Amendment Offered by Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK)
July 13, 2000 |
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Letter
to the Four Republican Senators Who Opposed the Weak Patients'
Rights Amendment and Supported the Norwood-Dingell Patients'
Rights Language
July
12, 2000 |
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Patients'
Rights Legislative Information |
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Letter
to All Members of Congress Urging Passage of Patients' Bill of
Rights In Light of Pegram v. Herdrich Decision |
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Critique
of the Nickles Patients' Rights Amendment
July 12, 2000 |
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Joint
Specialty Letter Outlining Essential Provisions That Must Be
Included in a Patients' Rights Conference Report
January 28, 2000
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Letter
Outlining Essential Provisions That Must be Included in a
Patients' Rights Conference Report
February 9, 2000 |
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H.R.
2723, the "Bipartisan Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act
of 1999" |
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AMA
Urges Passage of Comprehensive Patients' Rights
Legislation
July 12,
1999 |
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Importance
of Federal Patient Protections for All Patients |
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Letter
Expressing Concern Over Cost Estimates by the Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) of S.6, the Democratic Patients' Bill of
Rights
May 26,
1999 |
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AMA
Expresses Appreciation for Rep. Kelly's Efforts to Guarantee
Inpatient Health Coverage for Mastectomies, Lumpectomies, or
Lymph Node Dissections
May 17, 1999 |
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AMA
Commends Chairman Bliley for His Efforts on Forging Compromise
Draft Legislation on Patients' Rights and Calling for
Congressional Action
May 12, 1999 |
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AMA
Commends the Patients' Rights Draft Legislation by Rep. Greg
Ganske, MD (R-IA), Rep. Tom Coburn, MD (R-OK), and Rep.
Charlie Norwood, DDS (R-GA)
May 12, 1999 |
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Summary
of the "Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act" |
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Archer/Lipinski
Congressional "Dear Colleague" Letter on the "Bipartisan
Medical Savings Account Effectiveness Act Of 1999."
April 6, 1999 |
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Medical
Necessity
March 2,
1999 |
Last updated: Jun 07, 2001
Content provided by: AMA in Washington | |
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