Fwd: FW: HR 5-Draconian Bill introduced--Off topic, but a sign of things to come.

[Guest guest]

Sandy Mintz <sandym wrote:Mon, 03 Mar 2003 16:40:57 -0900

Sandy Mintz

FW: HR 5-Draconian Bill introduced--Off topic,

but a sign of things to come.

" ParentsofKidsAdultswithAutism (AT) groups (DOT) msn. com "

 

,

" Autism_and_Vaccinations (AT) (DOT) Com "

, immunizations ,

Parents of Vaccine Damaged Children

 

 

 

From Jeff Sell:

 

ALERT ** URGENT ** ALERT

 

A draconian medical malpractice and medical device liability bill -

H.R. 5 - has been introduced in the House. This bill devastates patients'

rights by capping non-economic damages, protecting makers of faulty medical

devices and shortening statutes of limitation, among other things. There

may be congressional votes on this legislation between the end of February

and mid-March. It is URGENT that you - and your friends, neighbors and

co-workers call your U.S. Senators and Representatives today to OPPOSE this

effort to punish patients in order to subsidize the insurance industry. Tell

your representatives that insurance companies and the drug company lobbyist

already have too much control over our healthcare system. All members of

Congress can be reached by calling: 202-224-3121.

 

The Administration's attacks on the jury system are nothing more

than a desperate attempt to change the subject away from the fact that the

insurance industry is receiving special treatment from its friends in the

Administration. President Bush and the Republican leadership in Congress

appear to be beholden to corporate special interests in Washington and are

trying to give the insurance industry and other big campaign contributors

(Remember Eli Lilly!!!!!!) more legal rights than injured patients and

American families have. Source: The Center for Responsive Politics,

President George W. Bush, Contributions by Sector,

 

Our top priority in reforming America's health-care system should be

reducing the shameful number of preventable medical errors that kill nearly

100,000 hospital patients a year - the equivalent of three fatal plane

crashes every two days. The day before President Bush attacked juries as

the cause of high malpractice insurance premiums for doctors, the New

England Journal of Medicine reported that surgical teams leave clamps,

sponges and other tools inside about 1,500 patients nationwide each year.

Source: AP, 1/15/03

President Bush is blaming the American jury system for rising

medical insurance rates but skyrocketing rates are a problem around the

world in countries that do not have a jury system like ours. Obstetricians

in France - which has strict limits on malpractice lawsuits and no juries -

recently threatened to walk off the job because of soaring malpractice

premiums. Source: The Guardian, 1/2/03

President Bush's " solutions " to the health-care crisis are being

driven by Washington special interests at the expense of states' rights. A

one-size-fits-all federal mandate that limits patients' rights in medical

malpractice cases would step on states' rights by wiping out existing state

laws and eliminating the authority of state Legislatures to control their

own court systems. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FACT SHEET: By the Numbers...

$49,606,348

Amount of money the insurance industry contributed to Republicans in

the 2000 and 2002 election cycles. 5

Number of insurance industry executives who are George W. Bush

Presidential Campaign " Pioneers " - individuals who raised at least $100,000

each for the President's 2000 election campaign. 1999

Year President Bush sued Enterprise Rent-A-Car over a minor auto

accident involving a car his daughter Jenna was driving in which no one was

hurt. The accident was so minor that police weren't even called to the

scene. Lawyers familiar with Texas insurance law said the suit probably was

unnecessary because President Bush's insurance most likely would have

covered the costs.

$500,000

Amount sought by the wife of Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in

her lawsuit against her chiropractor. Mrs. Santorum's medical costs totaled

$18,000, but she sought compensation for " pain and suffering " and

anticipated future medical costs. Senator Santorum (R-PA) supports a

$250,000 cap on non-economic damages (apparently for everyone but his wife)

which compensate for pain and suffering, as well as loss of a limb,

eyesight, fertility, and other losses.

$13 million

According to 1994 financial disclosures, the worth of Senate

Majority Leader Bill Frist's stock in HCA, an HMO of which his brother,

Thomas, was Chairman. 4th

The rank of HCA as a contributor to Sen. Frist's Senate campaign. 14

The number of criminal counts to which HCA pled guilty after the FBI

launched nationwide raids on HCA as part of an investigation into

allegations of massive systematic Medicare fraud. 1981-1989

Years during which Dr. Donald Palmisano, President-elect of the AMA,

worked at the Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company as Vice-Chair for

Claims, an insurance company of which he was a co-founder. 632

Page in the Southern Law Reporter wherein the Court of Appeal of

Louisiana, Fourth Circuit determined that in a case where Dr. Palmisano and

his partners sued another partner over a real estate dispute, Dr. Palmisano

and his partners " acted willfully or with malice in filing notice of lis

pendens against partnership property to prevent its sale; malice could be

inferred from lack of probable cause or from limited partners' studied

decision not to send notice of lis pendens to general partner or his

counsel... " 467915L

Docket number of a second case Dr. Palmisano brought in 1994, which

was dismissed by the Jefferson (LA) Parish District Court. Dr. Palmisano has

equated " dismissed " lawsuits with " frivolous " lawsuits in media interviews.

75%

Net income increase of top 16 publicly-traded health insurers June

2001-2002. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sample Letter:

February 7, 2003

 

Your U.S. senators

 

Your U.S. representative

 

Dear Member of Congress,

Americans are deeply concerned about protecting their families and

rising health care costs add to these worries. But the so- called

" solution " proposed by the President doesn't address the root of the problem

- skyrocketing insurance costs. The real culprit is the insurance industry,

which controls virtually every aspect of America's health care system and is

forcing doctors to pay for its recent investment losses. The insurance

lobby, one of President Bush and the Congressional leadership's biggest

campaign contributors, operates with a free hand because it is exempt from

anti-trust laws.

The federally imposed one-size-fits-all cap on state malpractice

compensation claims proposed by the President, at the behest of the

insurance lobbyists, doesn't solve the health care problem. This cap won't

bring down insurance premiums for doctors, which are rising fast even in

states that have their own caps. Until Congress reforms the insurance laws,

doctors' livelihoods and patients' lives will continue to be threatened by

corporate interests that put profits over people.

I urge you - on behalf of all Americans - to oppose this

anti-consumer, unhealthy legislation!

Thank you.

Sincerely,

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Peacefully,

Jeff Sell

Hitt * Patterson * Sell

4309 Yoakum Boulevard

2nd Floor

Houston, TX 77006

713.654.7776

713.654.7789 (fax)

832.731-3145 (v-mail)

JZSell

www.HittPattersonSell.com

 

 

 

Sandy Mintz

http://www.vaccinationnews.com

http://www.vaccinationnews.com/Scandals/past_scandals.htm

 

" Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. " - Wendell Phillips (1811-1884),

paraphrasing John Philpot Curran (1808)

 

http://www.909shot.com

http://www.redflagsweekly.com

 

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE

IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS

REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE

CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION

WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE

MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.

 

IN ADDITION, THE FACT THAT THIS EMAIL HAS BEEN FORWARDED IN NO WAY

NECESSARILY IMPLIES ENDORSEMENT OF THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE AUTHOR OR

AUTHORS OF THE ARTICLE OR EMAIL.

 

 

 

Gettingwell- / Vitamins, Herbs, Aminos, etc.

 

To , e-mail to: Gettingwell-

Or, go to our group site: Gettingwell

 

 

 

 

Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, and more