Norwood Predicts Patients’ Bill of Rights Will Pass This Year

Rep. Charles Norwood (R-Ga.), co-sponsor of the Norwood-Dingell patients' bill of rights (known in the 106th Congress as HR 2723), told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week that he expects Congress to pass the legislation this year. The measure, which would allow patients to sue their health plans, collect punitive damages and choose their doctors, has been strongly opposed by the insurance industry (Eversley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/24). Last year, the House passed Norwood-Dingell, but the Senate passed a scaled-down version that Norwood labeled a "monstrosity" (American Health Line, 6/30/00). Despite numerous efforts to reach a compromise, the 106th Congress adjourned without passing a patients' bill of rights (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 12/18/00). Norwood said he and Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) plan to introduce the "latest version" of their bill next week, and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) introduced a similar Senate version on Jan. 22. The Journal-Constitution reports that Norwood and Dingell "are waiting" for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.); a staff member of the senator said he is "working on generating support for the bill" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/24). Last June, McCain was one of a few Republicans who supported the House-passed version and broke ranks with his party by voting against the Senate's version of the legislation (American Health Line, 6/30/00). Norwood also said that he and Dingell hope to meet with the Bush administration "to iron out any potential differences with the White House" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1/24).