Insurers and patients now must deal with 50 different state courts with 50 different procedures and 50 different rules. The coalition alternative puts lawsuits in federal courts with uniform procedures. The coalition bill also demands a quicker resolution than H.R. 2723. It requires the expedited appeals process to be completed in 48 hours versus 72 hours as in the bill that passed. H.R. 2723 also puts employers at risk for lawsuits.
Employers voluntarily offer health insurance benefits to their employees.
If they feel they are putting their business at risk because they offer health care, this employee benefit may be eliminated because of liability concerns. There are already 44 million Americans without health insurance. Even the best patient protection legislation would not help them. I fear the unintended consequences of H.R. 2723 will be increased costs, fewer employers willing to take the risk of offering insurance to their employees and inevitably more uninsured Americans. Washington state has already seen similar results in its individual market.