The White House
Health Care Reform Today
September 27, 1993
- This week, the White House will continue to
talk about the Health Security Act of 1993 with
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton testifying on
Capitol Hill. Following are talking points on
details of the Act that you can use throughout this
week:
- Emphasizes preventive care. The Health
Security plan puts a new emphasis on preventing
illness before it becomes a medical crisis.
Prevention will improve the quality of care by
helping people stay healthy rather than treating
them after they get sick. The benefits package
fully pays for a wide range of preventive services;
the vast majority of today's insurance plans don't
cover a penny.
- Gives consumers the power to judge the quality
of care. Consumers will receive quality "report
cards" that provide information on the performance
of health care plans and patient satisfaction.
These report cards will hold health plans
accountable for meeting high standards. The
National Quality Program will help states share
information on health plan performance.
- Reforms malpractice. The President's proposal
will limit lawyers' fees in order to discourage
frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits. It will
also encourage patients and doctors to use
alternative forms of dispute resolution before they
end up in court. This will help eliminate the
"defensive medicine" that drives up costs and hurts
quality -- doctors ordering extra tests because
they fear lawyers looking over their shoulders.
- Encourages cooperation in rural and urban
areas. Rural residents will have access to the
latest technology and emergency services through
telecommunications links set up between local
doctors and advanced networks of specialists and
hospitals. In urban areas, the plan will increase
investment in public hospitals and community health
centers. The health security plan will give
financial breaks to doctors and nurses who work in
underserved rural and urban areas. It will expand
the National Health Service Corps. Two of three
rural counties today do not have enough doctors and
111 rural counties have no physician at all.