Stakes High for Key Players in Patients’ Rights Debate, WSJ States
With the "drama" surrounding "long-sought" patients' rights legislation unfolding, the Wall Street Journal outlines the position and roles of the major players in the debate -- President Bush and Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), John Edwards (D-N.C.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).
- Bush: While Bush vetoed one version of patients' rights legislation as governor of Texas, he signed a different version of the bill and allowed a measure that permits patients to sue their HMOs to become law without his signature. In Washington, Bush has sent a letter to lawmakers outlining "principles" that he favors in a patients' rights bill with "important limits" -- allowing patients to sue HMO in federal court, not state court, and capping damages "much lower" than the $5 million proposed by other in the debate;
- McCain: The Arizona senator, who "drove the Bush team crazy" in the 2000 Republican primary, unveiled his own patients' rights bill a few weeks ago. The bill would send lawsuits to state courts and cap damages at $5 million. In response, a "perturbed" White House urged other Republicans to "slow down the McCain train";
- Edwards: An "attractive and articulate new face" in the debate, Edwards "signed on" to McCain's bill, insisting that he hopes to pass legislation that "gets most HMO disputes settled by medical appeals boards";
- Frist: The "confident"-sounding Tennessee senator has discussed patients' rights legislation with McCain and Edwards and has vowed to craft a bill that Bush, McCain and Edwards would support.
