Health Policy Consensus Group
A broad-based group of health policy analysts including researchers from major market-oriented public policy research organizations
Statement of Principle on Patient Choice
October 11, 2000
Because the Patients' Bill of Rights will raise costs and reduce access to health insurance, employers and employees should have the ability to opt out of the provisions of the bill if they so desire.
Therefore, if an employer gives a defined contribution to employees for health coverage, the employer, the employee plan, and the insurer chosen by the employee should be exempt from the liability and the regulatory provisions of the Patients' Bill of Rights.
Employees would be the owners of their health coverage, which they would choose and purchase either individually or through group plans. The tax treatment of this defined contribution would be the same as under current law.
| Grace-Marie Arnett Galen Institute Naomi Lopez-Bauman Julie Chan Stephen J. Entin James Frogue John Goodman, Ph.D. Robert Helms, Ph.D.
|
John S. Hoff Health Policy Attorney Merrill Matthews, Ph.D. Marty McGeein Thomas Miller Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D. Greg Scandlen Elizabeth Wright |