The issue of patients being able to sue their HMOs has been debated in Congress for much of the second half of the 90s. Democrats say patients have the right to get good medical treatment and claim Republicans are being influenced by health insurance companies. Republicans say they want to give patients that right but with limits since, they say, going to court won't help those in urgent need.

Dan Rather reports on the Republicans' reluctance to pass the Democrats' bills but does not tell the viewers the Republican reasoning behind it. Regardless of which side is correct, Rather insists that the Republicans are merely being influenced by HMO lobbyists while not mentioning that trial lawyers, the vast majority of whom donate heavily to the Democratic Party, are also lobbying heavily, in support of such bills.

"Health care reform for millions of Americans is headed for the morgue. The Patients' Bill of Rights is lobbied to death in the U.S. Senate."
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, July 15, 1999.

"What's more, managed care might be jeopardizing the quality of our future medical care, as tomorrow's best and brightest doctors learn that the benefits of practicing medicine might no longer outweigh the mounting hassles on their end.
"Is America ready to deal with the HMO mess? Doubtful, with even such halfway measures as the so-called Patients' Bill of Rights stalled now for years and facing resistance from the current administration. Meanwhile, one keeps hearing the stories--stressful, scary and in-between--of those who experience our medical crisis up close.
--Dan Rather in his syndicated column, April 16, 2001.

"Hillary learned from her experience as architect of...national health care reform, that progress toward universal health care must be made in incremental steps."
--Dan Rather in "Rather's Notebook" at the CBS News Web site, July 11, 1999.

"The nation's Congress finally caught up to the public today on making managed health-care reform a priority. Senate Republicans, answering Democrats, weighed in with their plan to give patients more rights to appeal when HMOs deny treatment. Most insurance companies like that better than the Democrats' idea, because the Democrats would open the door to actually suing HMOs."
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, July 15, 1998.

Congressman Charlie Norwood (R-Ga.) broke with President Bush and congressional Republicans on the issue of HMOs by declaring his support for a Democratic-sponsored version of a "Patient's Bill of Rights." Rather gives his opinion of Norwood's action:
"A big shot in the arm for your consumer and medical rights as a key Republican breaks with the president....[Other Stories]
"Momentum is building in Congress for what's called a Patients Bill of Rights, including a strong provision that would give individual Americans the right to sue their managed health-care plans. President Bush threatens to veto this version, but as CBS's Bob Schieffer reports tonight, it got a big boost today from a Republican congressman."
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, June 13, 2001.

RATHER: "Congress is also about to reopen debate on the president's long-stalled, heavily lobbied Patients' Bill of Rights. That's a bill to make it easier to appeal the decisions of, and in some cases, even sue, managed health-care plans. To follow what's happening in the House, you need to know what's going on behind the scenes and with the lobbies. CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer is your guide to follow the dollar."
SCHIEFFER: "It's 8 AM and this is Washington at work, top insurance and health industry lobbyists hurrying to $1,000-a-plate breakfast they're hosting to benefit Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert. Lobbying has become so brazen, the money is being collected on the very morning Congress begins debate on an HMO reform bill, the legislation the lobbyists strongly oppose. Here comes Speaker Hastert's van. With all those cameras out front, he takes the back way. There he goes, en route to picking up $15,000 for his campaign war chest. He told reporters later the lobbyists got nothing for their money."
--Dan Rather and Bob Schieffer on the CBS Evening News, October 5, 1999.

"Even millions of Americans who have jobs are finding they can no longer afford health-care coverage. Today, Hillary Clinton traveled to New Orleans for her latest hearing on health-care reform and listened to tales of hard times in the Big Easy."
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, March 4, 1993.

"In a vote highlighting a heavily lobbied issue this election year the Republican-controlled U. S. Senate tonight rejected President Clinton's Patients' Bill of Rights. The vote was 51 to 48. One of the bill's key provisions would have given managed health care patients the right to sue their HMO."
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, June 8, 2000.

"And, Linda, with all these competing plans and agendas, it occurs to me to say, is this an exercise in futility or is there some real chance that we will have meaningful health care reform this year?
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening news, April 30, 1993.

"Democrats and Republicans in Congress late today came close to actual physical blows over proposed cuts in Medicare. That's the separate U.S. government health care coverage for 37 million older Americans of all income levels. There's no doubt that Medicare spending will be cut. The question is how much and for how many."
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News,September 20, 1995.

"Late today Republicans defeated proposals that would have protected women from being forced to leave the hospital just hours after breast cancer surgery. Also defeated: a proposal to let women choose gynecologists as their primary care doctor."
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, July 13, 1999.

"A stunning upset in Washington. The U.S. House late today approved the patients' bill of rights. If ever finally passed by both the House and Senate, it would give citizens more say over decisions by managed health-care plans. It would also give them the right to sue HMOs. The vote margin was 275-to-151: 68 Republicans broke ranks and voted yes.
"Insurance company lobbyists who contribute much money, especially to Republican congressional and presidential campaigns, but also to some Democrats, thought they had this one won. Bob Schieffer reports how and why they suddenly lost."
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, October 7, 1999.

"Another sign tonight that health insurance reform remains a flash point this election year: 53 percent in a nationwide survey said they would be willing to pay $200 more a year in premiums to bankroll reforms, such as the right to sue HMOs."
--Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News, January 19, 2000. print_file('footer'); ?>