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American Morning
Senate Takes Up Patients Bill of Rights
Aired June 18, 2001 - 09:21 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to issues affecting your health, the Senate takes up the patients bill of rights this week. One version sets the stage for a possible veto showdown with the White House.
Joining us with more on that is our White House correspondent Kelly Wallace.
Kelly, good morning.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning.
Well, the sponsors of a measure favored by Democratic leaders think they have the votes to get their bill through the Senate and through the House of Representatives and to the president, but Mr. Bush has already said that he cannot sign that bill. So the stage is set really for the first test of the Democratically-controlled Senate and President Bush's power in this new political landscape.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Providing Americans enrolled with HMOs with protections is very popular. Democrats, though, now in control of the Senate, say this year will be different.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), NORTH CAROLINA: We have a consensus, middle of the road deal that we think does what we need to do, which is give real patient protection to patients.
WALLACE: Edwards, along with Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy and Republican John McCain are pushing a plan which most Republicans find unacceptable.
SEN. BILL FRIST (R), TENNESSEE: This particular bill will result in frivolous lawsuits which will line the pockets of trial lawyers.
WALLACE: Frist, Democrat John Breaux, and newly independent Senator Jim Jeffords are promoting a competing measure that has the backing of the White House. The two bills have many similarities. Both provide freer access to emergency room care, pediatricians, and OB-Gyns; and to experimental treatment; and the right to sue their HMOs. Just how much of a right is where the plans differ greatly. The McCain-Edwards-Kennedy bill allows lawsuits in state and federal court; includes unlimited federal pain and suffering damages; and caps federal punitive damages at $5 million.
Democrats say their plan won't, as Republicans charge, invite frivolous lawsuits.
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: We know that when you have the liability provisions put into legislations, the HMOs more often do the right thing.
WALLACE: The Frist-Breaux-Jeffords plan ban lawsuits in state court; caps federal pain and suffering damages at $500,000; and bans federal punitive damage awards.
The new Senate minority leader hinted there may be room for compromise.
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MINORITY LEADER: I can see circumstances where, being able to go to state court would be acceptable.
WALLACE: President Bush has vowed to veto the Democratic plan in its current form.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And the lobbying campaign is already well under way. Business groups and insurance companies are running television ads charging that the Democratic plan would jack up health care costs and force some businesses to no longer provide health care coverage to their employees.
On the other side, the sponsors of the Kennedy-McCain-Edwards bill plan a rally tomorrow featuring representatives from patients and doctors groups.
Daryn, the debate gets under way tomorrow.
KAGAN: So with the president, Kelly, just back from his first big trip to Europe, it's back to domestic issues on one front, yet he still does have some international issues he's looking at at the same time?
WALLACE: Absolutely. Certainly he will be focusing on domestic issues, obviously focusing on the patients bill of rights, but still looking at some of the issues he dealt with his European allies.
In fact, just moments from now, the president is meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell in the Oval Office. We believe this to be just a regularly scheduled meeting but reporters will be brought in. Mr. Bush likely to be asked more questions about his trip. The White House feeling very good about the trip, although some skeptics are looking at some of Mr. Bush's comments regarding Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, calling him so trustworthy. Some skeptics aren't so sure he can be trusted -- Daryn, back to you. KAGAN: All right. We will check in on that a little bit later. Kelly, thank you.
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