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Democrats holdup Senate over HMO reform
June 23, 1999 WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, June 23) -- Democrats, promising to block all legislation in the Senate until the GOP leadership agrees to debate their so-called patients' bill of rights proposal, tried again Wednesday to attach the measure to the agriculture appropriations bill. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) offered the managed care reform- related amendment a day after a stalemate began when the GOP-led Senate tabled, 53-47, a similar HMO amendment to the spending bill. "Millions of Americans saw the movie 'Titanic' and were thrilled by the many examples of heroism and self-sacrifice portrayed in the film," said Kennedy. "The Republican leadership however seems intent on reversing an age old tradition of the sea. When it comes to patient protection, their motto seems to be women and children last." Kennedy's move forced the Republican leaders to spend Wednesday in "morning business," meaning all legislative activities stop and senators take turns giving floor speeches. The Democratic leadership in the Senate is unapologetic for having to resort to the procedural standoff.
"When you reach an impasse you have only one option: To turn up the pressure," Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) said Tuesday. Daschle's colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives are also trying to push the issue of managed care reform. House Democrats held a rally to kick off a petition drive to collect the 218 signatures needed to force a vote on the issue. But in the Senate, Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) has pledged to work with his Republican colleagues to come up with a compromise on procedure for considering the measure. Democrats have vowed to continue to attach the legislation to every bill that comes before the Senate, claiming they were forced to use procedural manuevers to bring managed care reform to the floor because the Republican version of the bill does not go far enough. They also accused Republicans of trying to limit and control the amendments Democrats could offer. Another winning issue for Democrats?Republicans worry that a bill with dozens of amendments will only serve to politicize the votes, and they may have a point. If the move fails, Democrats believe HMO reform would become a strong campaign companion to gun control, which they see as a possible winning combination in 2000. With nearly 7 out of 10 Americans enrolled in health maintenance organizations, Democrats may be acting on recent poll numbers showing 57 percent of those questioned say problems with HMO payment for emergency room care or quick access to specialists are on the rise.
Seventy-one percent of those polled say people who belong to managed care plans need more rights, complaining that accountants not doctors are deciding what treatment they receive. Republican Sen. Don Nickles (R-Oklahoma) believes that politicizing the issue may be behind the Democrats' push for multiple amendments. He favors a limited debate and a yes-or-no vote on the entire package, instead of multiple votes "that can be misconstrued for political purposes." Democrats would like to vote on some 20 amendments, possibly hoping that in the light of day many individual Republicans will find it difficult to vote down potentially popular new rights, including minimum hospital stays after mastectomies, access to clinical trials and the right to see doctors outside an insurance company's network. Taking up where gun control left offDaschle himself compared the current HMO debate to the recent debate on gun control, saying Republicans claim they have a good bill, but when looking at the specific provisions, the GOP's plan, which was voted out of committee in March, doesn't go far enough. Speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday, Kennedy rolled out familiar rhetoric, substituting "insurance industry" for the National Rifle Association. "We know what the spokesman for the health insurance industry has said. We know what their answer has been and that is to virtually instruct the Republican leadership just to say 'no,'" Kennedy said.
Democrats say the GOP bill would only cover self-funded plans, leaving out protections for state and local government employees and personal contracts. Republicans claim they only included plans not already covered by state and local law, purposely keeping the federal government out of it. Democrats also fault the Republican bill, sponsored by Lott, for not limiting the scope of protection, not expanding access to care, not allowing greater access to specialists and not giving enough leeway for patients to sue health insurance companies. Republicans said the Democratic bill would raise premiums and ultimately make health insurance unaffordable. "Adoption of Democratic proposal would cancel insurance policies of almost a million and a half Americans," said Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tennessee), a physician. "We emphasize good health care, they emphasize good law cases." Daschle says his goal is to bring up patients' bill of rights before Congress goes into July 4 recess. CNN's Eileen O'Connor and The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
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MORE STORIES:Wednesday, June 23, 1999
• Starr puts first lady on witness list for Hubbell trial • Bradley cites need for 'trust' and 'fresh start' in Iowa • McCain reaches out to lawmakers, Bush supporters • It may be a record: Gov. Bush raises $2 million in D.C. • House OKs transportation bill, conservatives win more cuts • Under cross-examination, Cisneros ex-lover admits to many lies • House takes up flag desecration amendment • Supreme Court boosts states' rights in bitter 5-4 split • Conservatives open new push to eliminate 'marriage tax' • Attorney: Prosecutors shouldn't retry ex-governor • New York City tells magazine planning Mrs. Clinton cover: 'Party's over' • House may accept Senate Y2K bill • Senate panel cuts Clinton land program, eases mining-waste limits • Gore: Internet technology key to economic future • Fordice resigns Quayle campaign amid divorce talk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
