For Immediate Release
Thursday, July 16, 1998
AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee Calls on Senate to Reject Gingrich Proposal; Pass Patients’ Bill of Rights
WASHINGTON —The President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Gerald W. McEntee, called on Congress to reject the Gingrich health care proposal released today.
"After months of delay and resistance, the Republican leadership has finally realized that they cannot get away with a do-nothing approach to patient protection," said President McEntee. "Unfortunately, their last-minute proposal does nothing to fix the fundamental problems facing patients and health care workers. We know that major surgery is needed. The Republican leadership’s response to public demands for change: take two aspirins and don’t call us in the morning."
"The Republican leadership proposal may be cloaked in fine-sounding rhetoric, but it is an empty promise. If it were to pass, insurance company bureaucrats would still be able to override doctors’ decisions, limiting whether and where patients can get care. Nurses and doctors who report concerns about dangerous quality could still be fired or punished for trying to protect their patients. And HMOs would still be completely off-the-hook when their decisions result in patient injuries or deaths."
"Gingrich and his followers have sided with the insurance industry instead of with patients, nurses and doctors. Their proposal should be rejected. Instead, Congress should pass the Patients’ Bill of Rights so that patients -- not profits -- will be protected."
