Full access
Government News
Published Online: 16 March 2001

Long and Winding Road

Publication: Psychiatric News
Volume 36, Number 6
https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.36.6.0042
Several patient protection bills have been introduced in Congress since 1999 to hold managed care plans accountable for their actions and decisions. A brief history of key bills, administration actions, and Supreme Court cases in this area is provided below, ending with the recently introduced 2001 Bipartisan Patient Protection Act (see article beginning on page 1).
1997
• Texas becomes the first state to enact a law giving patients the right to sue their managed care plan in state court.
• President Bill Clinton urges Congress to pass strong patient-protection legislation.
1999
• July: The Senate passes a limited patient-protection bill (S 1344) that would cover 56 million Americans, but it adds no new right to sue managed care plans.
• August: Rep. Charles Norwood (R-Ga.) introduces a broad patient-protection bill (HR 2723, which later became HR 2990) along with Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.). The bill would cover 191 million Americans and allow patients to sue managed care plans in state courts for punitive damages, with some restrictions.
• October: The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passes the Norwood-Dingell bill (HR 2990).
2000
• June: The U.S. Supreme Court rules in Pegram v. Herdrich that managed care plans cannot be sued for medical malpractice in federal court.
• October: The House and Senate reach a compromise on a controversial liability provision that would allow federal courts to hear patients’ lawsuits against health plans involving administrative benefit decisions and state courts to hear lawsuits involving health plans’ medical care decisions. Damages that could be awarded in federal court were capped at $5 million. Congress adjourns without passing the compromise patient-protection bill.
2001
• February: The Bipartisan Patient Protection Act is introduced in the Senate (S 283) and House (HR 526). President George W. Bush releases his Principles for a Bipartisan Patients’ Bill of Rights.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Psychiatric News
Psychiatric News
Volume 36 • Number 6 • March 16, 2001
Pages: 42

History

Published online: 16 March 2001
Published in print: March 16, 2001

Authors

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Citations

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu.

Format
Citation style
Style
Copy to clipboard
Tips for downloading citations

There are no citations for this item

View Options

View options

Get Access

Login options

Already a subscriber? Access your subscription through your login credentials or your institution for full access to this article.

Personal login Institutional Login Open Athens login

Not a subscriber?

Subscribe Now / Learn More

PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5-TR® library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.

Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Share article link

Share

×

As described within the American Psychiatric Association (APA)'s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, this website utilizes cookies, including for the purpose of offering an optimal online experience and services tailored to your preferences. Please read the entire Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. By closing this message, browsing this website, continuing the navigation, or otherwise continuing to use the APA's websites, you confirm that you understand and accept the terms of the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, including the utilization of cookies.