• NASE Attends Presidential Briefing on the Patient’s Bill of Rights

NASE Attends Presidential Briefing on the Patient’s Bill of Rights

Because affordable health care continues to be an important issue for self-employed Americans, the National Association for the Self-Employed represented your concerns last week during the President’s briefing on the Patient’s Bill of Rights.

The NASE was invited to voice your position regarding important patient protections such as access to specialists and emergency room care. In addition to the other small business organizations and medical care providers also present, the NASE had the opportunity to express your views to Secretary Of Labor Elaine LAN Chao and Reps. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) and Rob Simmons (R-CT).

Currently, there are several bills that deal with patient protections; however, the NASE agrees with the Bush Administration’s support of the compromise bill (H.R. 2315). This compromise bill would provide important patient protections and limit liability suits that increase the cost of health insurance.  The end result would mean that more self-employed citizens would be insured.

The compromise bill was composed by Reps. Ernie Fletcher (R-KY), Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Nancy Johnson (R-CT).  It includes several provisions that are favorable to small business including:

• Expanded access to medical savings accounts 
  
• Full deductibility of long-term care insurance premiums
  
• The ability to purchase health insurance through Association Health Plans (AHPs)

Concerning H.R. 2315, President Bush stated, “The issue we ought to be discussing is quality of care for patients. That's the whole focus of medicine.  And that ought to be the focus of any legislation that comes out of the United States Congress.  We've got the best health care in the world -- by far, the best health care in the world.  And we've got to make sure that any legislation, any laws passed out of Washington, enhances the health care for America and doesn't hurt it.  And I believe the Fletcher bill will help and enhance the great medical care that we have in our country.”

Rep. Nancy Johnson, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, has postponed the hearing slated for July 16 to discuss the various Patient’s Bill of Rights legislation in the House. 

“The time to enact strong patient bill of rights legislation is long past due. This hearing will enable Members to compare the major alternatives before the House in order to become more informed on the issues, and to discover whether we can reach agreement. I want to pass a bill that can be signed by the President and become law this year," Johnson explained. Because this issue is of primary importance to our Members, the NASE will keep a vigilant watch over the proceedings of the next few days to ensure the interests of the self-employed are protected. For the full text of the President’s remarks please click here, http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/07/20010711-2.html.

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