It builds on bills that have previously been introduced, on recommendations from the President's Advisory Commission on Quality in the Health Care Industry that met last year, on legislative efforts of various states, and on consensus agreements among consumer groups, many providers, and certain health plans. As more and more of our population joins managed care plans, the need for federal oversight of plan quality grows greater. Patients deserve to know that their health plans are held accountable to a basic set of consumer protection standards. That is what the Patients' Bill of Rights will do. Though many states have enacted consumer protection bills, they cannot regulate many of the health plans within their borders due to our convoluted health care system.
Federal action is required.
The Patients' Bill of Rights creates a set of federal standards that assures patient access to covered benefits and that holds health plans accountable for their actions. The Patients' Bill of Rights holds health plan administrators to the same level of accountability for making medical decisions as doctors. The estimates are that some 125 million Americans are in these types of health plans. The Patients' Bill of Rights corrects it as well. Our legislation would allow states to determine whether or not a consumer can bring a state cause of action against health plan administrators whose medical decisions result in harm.