Papers, Columnists Weigh in on Patients’ Rights
The following are excerpts from recent opinions on patients' rights:
- Marcia Angell, former New England Journal of Medicine editor in chief: Either the Kennedy-McCain-Edwards bill or the Breaux-Frist-Jeffords bill would "make a bad situation worse. ... It will just hasten the collapse of managed care without putting anything in its place. The result will be an increase in the number of uninsured Americans and more out-of-pocket expenses for those who are insured" ( Houston Chronicle, 6/28). Angel also spoke with NPR's Robert Siegel about patients' rights on yesterday's "All Things Considered."
- Ed Koch, former New York City mayor: Health coverage for all Americans is "even more sorely needed" than a patients' bill of rights. He suggests, "Our overwhelming concern ought to be the 44 million people who have no health insurance. ... We should consider ... creating a basic health insurance package available to all in the country who want it" (Newsday, 6/29).
- Wall Street Journal: The paper offers its "own proposal" that would allow patients to sue their health plans and employers without first going through "pesky medical review boards." The proposal would not permit class action lawsuits and would cap contingency fees lawyers receive at $100,000 or 5%, whichever is higher. For "anyone interested in affordable and widely available quality health care, these conditions would serve to keep the plaintiff's bar sharks at a safe distance," the Journal says (Wall Street Journal, 6/29).
