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(Circulation. 2000;101:e9058.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.

Cardiovascular News

Ruth SoRelle, MPH, Circulation Newswriter

Whither Patient Rights’ Legislation?

Two not-unexpected defeats put the issue of patient rights on the front burner of the recent American Medical Association (AMA) meeting, which took place the week of June 12 through 16 in Chicago. The chairman of the AMA’s board of trustees, D. Ted Lewers, MD, called on Senate Republican leadership to stop "the foot-dragging, smoke screens, and posturing," and pass a meaningful patient bill of rights, according to a released statements.

Dr Lewers addressed the group’s 550 delegates at its annual meeting on June 13, 2000 by noting, "Physicians across the country need to send a strong message to Senators (Bill) Frist (R-Tenn and a physician) and (Don) Nickles (R-Okla)," who lead opposition to the legislation. Dr Lewers said the AMA supports the Norwood-Dingell patients’ rights legislation, which was passed by 275 votes in the House of Representatives during the 1999 fall session, and that the group deplored the decision by the Senate to table the same measure last week. He called on Republican senators to "stop dragging their feet and give patients the protections that voters strongly support by wide margins."

Dr Lewers said the AMA will fight for the legislation with a grassroots and media campaign in several key states where Republican senators do not support a meaningful patients’ bill of rights.

This statement came in the wake of an attempt by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass) to put an end to stalled conference committee talks on patient rights legislation by bringing it to a vote on the Senate . . . [Full Text of this Article]