May 25, 2000
Release No. 00-27
Nicholas Meyers
202-682-6164
[email protected]
Lynn Schultz-Writsel
202-682-6139
[email protected]
PSYCHIATRISTS URGE STRONG PATIENT PROTECTION STANDARDS
Reiterate Support for House-Passed Norwood-Dingell Bill
Washington, DC --- The American Psychiatric Association (APA) today urged House and Senate conferees to support meaningful patient protection in managed care. APA emphasized this is "best embodied by the provisions of the Norwood-Dingell bipartisan patient protection bill now pending" before the conference committee, which has been meeting for weeks to hammer out a compromise between competing House and Senate bills.
In prepared remarks, APA Director of Government Relations Director Jay B. Cutler said that "Psychiatric patients are entitled to the medically necessary care they require. Neither patients nor psychiatrists should have to fight with a health plan clerk to ensure such care is available. The health care marketplace cannot work if health plans are not accountable for their actions and are not held to basic standards of practice."
APA urges the following patients' rights principles be included in all patient protection legislation:
-- point-of-service option;
-- independent utilization review;
-- independent external appeals;
-- no gag rule clauses;
-- no incentives to withhold medically necessary care;
-- direct access to specialty care where needed;
-- no termination without cause;
-- privacy protection of patient medical records; and
-- full disclosure of plan terms.
APA also strongly supports holding managed care organizations and health plans liable for damages under state laws for their decisions to limit or withhold medically necessary care.
Cutler concluded, "Our members--and their patients--overwhelmingly support tough standards to end managed care abuses. It's time for Congress to act."
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The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty society, founded in 1844, whose 40,000 physician members specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional illness and substance use disorders.
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