U.S. Sen. Carl Levin was in East Lansing on Monday to promote a patients’ bill of rights that would allow people to sue their health care provider.
“Too many times insurance companies are saying ‘no,’ while doctors are saying ‘yes,’” the Detroit Democrat said. “Health care should be based on need, not on the profit of insurance companies.”
The Senate began debate this week on a new patients’ bill of rights sponsored by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz.
Levin told a group of doctors, medical students and health care advocates at the Michigan State Medical Society, 120 W. Saginaw St., the Kennedy-McCain bill is “stronger” than a similar GOP-supported bill being considered in Congress.
“We need to hold HMOs accountable for their decisions just like hospitals and doctors are held accountable,” Levin said.
But Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan spokeswoman Helen Stojic said the Kennedy-McCain bill is a bit unfair.
“I can’t speak for other health care providers, but portions of that legislation are already part of our system,” she said. “For example, we don’t have a physician gag rule, we provide for specialist visits and we don’t deny coverage because of a person’s health status. However, there are portions of the bill we don’t agree with - the liability issue is excessive.”
The Kennedy-McCain bill would allow patients to sue their health plans for administrative decisions that result in injury or death for up to $5 million.
Levin also visited medical groups in Flint and Southfield, where he was joined by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, to urge voters to contact President Bush in support of the Kennedy-McCain bill.
Although Bush has said he would veto the legislation, Levin said a show of significant public support could persuade the chief executive to change his mind.
“We know we can get the majority vote to pass this bill,” he said. “We need to show the president we can get enough to override a veto - that’d be 67 - that’s tough. But I’m not sure he would veto it if there is strong public support for it.”
Rob Gorski, a first-year medical student, said the Kennedy-McCain bill would be beneficial to his future patients.
“It’s about a sort of ideal way of practicing medicine,” he said. “This bill would help increase the fluidity of the way we make decisions and are able to practice medicine.”
Ron Horowitz, president-elect of the Ingham County Medical Society, said holding HMOs more liable just makes sense.
“We hold Firestone liable when their tires fail,” he said. “Why shouldn’t they have to pay for bad decisions too?”
