Healthcare bills lack protections against treatment denials, experts say

Los Angeles Times, October 19, 2009

Despite growing frustration with the way health insurers deny medical treatments, major healthcare bills pending in Congress would give patients little new power to challenge those sometimes life-and-death decisions, according to this article from the Los Angeles Times. Experts said the legislation under consideration does not significantly enhance patient protections against insurers refusing to cover requests for treatment. Most people currently have no right to challenge health insurers' treatment decisions by suing them for damages, the article notes.