For Immediate Release
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
'Patients Bill of Wrongs' Is Enough to Make America Sick
WASHINGTON —Gerald W. McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), issued the following statement today in opposition to health care legislation sponsored by Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi that would override more than 1,000 state laws requiring insurers to provide coverage for such services as emergency care, diabetic supplies, cancer screenings, child immunizations, and mental health treatment.
"This legislation is a huge step backward. It would change what it means to have health insurance in America, watering down coverage so that people with diabetes, cancer, and other life-threatening medical conditions have insurance in name only.
"It is bad enough that Congress has passed the buck time and again to state governments on health care reform. If the states are supposed to be the laboratories for reform, this bill is the toxic potion that would melt the Petri dish and the Bunsen Burner beyond repair.
"Every doctor must take an oath to 'First, do no harm.' We should expect no less from politicians when it comes to safeguarding their constituents' health. This Patients Bill of Wrongs is enough to make America sick. The only responsible course is for the United States Senate to reject this legislation outright."
AFSCME, the largest union in the AFL-CIO with more than 1.4 million members nationwide, organizes for social and economic justice in the workplace through political action and legislative advocacy. AFSCME represents a diverse group of service and health care workers in the public and private sectors, including nurses, EMTs, bus drivers, child care providers, custodians and librarians.
