Insurers See New U.S. Patient Rights Bill As Costly

Insurers See New U.S. Patient Rights Bill As Costly

By Steven Brostoff, Washington Editor

NU Online News Service, Feb.5, 1:47 p.m. EST, Washington?Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., today introduced "patients' bill of rights" legislation, which he says has bipartisan support.

The legislation closely tracks a bill approved by the House on Aug. 2, 2001, which is based on an agreement worked out by Rep. Norwood and the White House.

The legislation died in the 107^th Congress when the House and Senate were unable to reach an agreement on a consensus bill.

Rep. Norwood said that at a time of rising health care costs, his patient protection bill is even more important.

"When insurers and employers are concerned about the cost of health care, the quality of patient care can be jeopardized for the bottom line," Rep. Norwood said in a statement.

"We must put laws in place that make certain the concern for the bottom line doesn't go too far," he said.

But health insurers blasted the legislation, saying that it would drive up health insurance costs and exacerbate the uninsured crisis.

Donald Young, president of the Health Insurance Association of America, called the legislation a "bad idea whose time has already passed."

"Rather than being a constructive step toward better health care, it is instead a worn-out measure that would hurt the very consumers it purports to help," Mr. Young said.

The legislation establishes mandatory internal and external appeals processes for health plans regarding whether a treatment plan is medically necessary.

In addition, it mandates access to emergency health services, timely access to specialists, and access to certain types of drugs and medical devices.

The legislation bars health plans from placing restrictions on the advice that providers offer to patients and bars certain physician incentive systems.

The bill also bars plans from retaliating against any participant or provider who files a grievance.

Rep. Norwood said that the provisions in his legislation are supported by almost every returning member of Congress.

"This is a bill that should pass the House under suspension and the Senate by unanimous consent," he said.

But Mr. Young said the legislation would impose hundreds of new, duplicative federal regulations on health plans, throw out the insurers' right to contract, and require insurers to rewrite millions of existing insurance policies.

All of this, he said, would require higher premiums.