WASHINGTON, D.C. – First District Congressman Paul Ryan today voted in favor of H.R. 2563, the Bipartisan Patient Protection Act of 2001, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 226-203.  This measure provides numerous patient protections to ensure timely access to high quality health care for Americans with private health insurance coverage, either through their employer or through the individual market.

"Tonight the House passed strong, enforceable legislation to protect patients and allow them to hold their health plans accountable," Ryan said. "This legislation guarantees patients important rights, and puts power in the hands of patients and their doctors, instead of HMO bureaucrats and trial lawyers."

"This bill makes progress on three critical fronts by focusing on quality, accessibility, and affordability of health care," Ryan said. "It's a common-sense compromise that improves the quality of care, while protecting employers and guarding against a wave of excessive lawsuits that would boost the cost of insurance and the number of uninsured."

Improving the Quality of Health Care
The measure that passed today improves the quality of Americans' health care by providing patients the right to independent medical review for denials of medical care by their health plan. It guarantees patients new federal remedies to hold their health plans accountable when they have been hurt by wrongful denial or delay of medical care. More specifically, the legislation:

• Allows cases against employers to be removed to federal court by the defendant;
• Allows cases against health insurers to be heard in state court;
• Protects employers by allowing them to designate decision makers who will have sole liability for benefit determinations;
• Ensures that patients must exhaust the independent medical review process before seeking expanded damages in court;
• Allows patients to seek relief at any time for irreparable harm;
• Allows  unlimited economic damages in both federal and state court;
• Limits non-economic damages (pain and suffering) at $1.5 million;
• Provides that punitive damages will be capped at $1.5 million and will be available only where the designated decision maker fails to comply with the independent medical reviewer's decision that the claim for benefits should be granted; and
• Limits class action lawsuits under ERISA and RICO to participants in a group health plan established by a single plan sponsor.

• Access to emergency room and specialty care;
• Access to clinical trials;
• Direct access to pediatricians and ob-gyns;
• Continuity of care for those with ongoing health care needs;
• Access to important health plan information;
• Prohibition of "gag clauses" that prevent doctors from discussing certain health care options with their patients.

• Establishing Association Health Plans (AHPs) to make it easier for small businesses to offer health care coverage;
• Expanding Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) to make health care coverage more affordable.

In addition, this bill discourages excessive lawsuits that would increase health care costs, by first directing patients to an independent medical review before they seek expanded damages in court.

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