President Issues the Patients' Bill of Rights

Initial Crafting of the Patients’ Bill of Rights Began in 1997, and President Obama’s Actions Today Assure Its Implementation

Washington, D.C.—Today, at a White House event commemorating the three-month anniversary of the passage of health reform (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act), President Obama issued the Patients’ Bill of Rights. The following is the statement of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of the health consumer organization Families USA and a member of the commission that was appointed by President Clinton in 1997 to craft the original Patients’ Bill of Rights, about this development.

“For many years, patients have sought the security of a Patients’ Bill of Rights to protect them against abuses by health insurance plans. For too many years, however, that quest has languished, unfulfilled.

“Thankfully, much-needed patient protection is on the way now that President Obama has issued a strong Patients’ Bill of Rights.

“The Patients’ Bill of Rights means that patients who experience emergencies will be able to go to the nearest hospital and know that their care will be covered by their health plan. Parents will be able to select pediatricians for their children’s care, and women can select their own obstetrician and gynecologist—and they can do so without first obtaining a referral from another doctor.

“Patients will no longer be subjected to arbitrary rescissions of their coverage when they get sick. They will no longer be vulnerable to bankruptcy when they get sick because there will no longer be lifetime limits on coverage, and annual limitations on coverage will be phased out. Children under 19 years of age will immediately be protected against pre-existing condition exclusions, and those protections will ultimately be expanded to the entire population.

“Ultimately, the protections will include patients’ rights to contest harmful decisions by their health plans. This means that patients will be able to appeal—through an objective, binding review—a plan’s decision to deny payments for specific health care services and procedures. 

“In its essence, the new Patients’ Bill of Rights means that patients will now be empowered to avoid or remedy possible abuses by their health plans. This is a long-awaited improvement for millions of America’s families, and we commend the President for his decisive action.” 

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005
202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org