Paulsen Calls for Protection of Patient-Doctor Relationship
At press conference, introduces Medical Rights Act to prevent delayed health care common in Canada and Great Britain, while preserving rights of patients and doctors to make medical decisions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 20, 2009

WASHINGTON – At a press conference on Capitol Hill this morning, Congressman Erik Paulsen joined three of his House colleagues to announce introduction of the “Medical Rights Act”, legislation that guarantees the rights of patients to control their own health care decisions.  The Medical Rights Act, which Paulsen is co-sponsoring, states that health care decisions cannot be denied by government restrictions and bans government interference in the doctor-patient relationship in order to protect the right of Americans to get the care they need when they need it.

“Health care delayed is health care denied.  If government bureaucrats replace doctors and patients when it comes to health care decisions, the inevitable result will be delayed care,” Paulsen said.  “Long waits and denied care for routine procedures are common in both Canada and the UK because bureaucrats dictate when and if patients may be treated.  As we seek to reform health care, we must preserve the patient-doctor relationship and keep medical decisions where they belong: in the hands of patients and their doctors.”

The Medical Rights Act of 2009 ensures the right of every American to make individual health care decisions with their doctor.  This Act protects each patient’s doctor relationship, the integrity of the medical profession and the right of Americans to choose the care they deem appropriate without government delay or restriction.  In the U.S. only 26% of sick adults waited more than four weeks to see a specialist.  In Canada and the UK, more than twice as many citizens wait longer than a month to receive the care they need. 

Specifically, the bill will:

• Prohibit federal government from regulating privately supported medicine
  
• Protect the right of patients to obtain health care services themselves, regardless of any federal program that might apply
  
• Prohibit the federal government from requiring states to impose restriction prohibited by this Act

Paulsen concluded, “we need proposals that lower costs, increase choice, and expand access, while protecting the basic rights of patients to control their own medical decisions.”

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