The PARCA bill (Patient Access to Responsible Care Act) was introduced into Congress by Representative Charles Norwood (R-GA) and Senator Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY). While PARCA provides patients with many important benefits and protections, it would mandate that all employees have access to a health care plan with a point-of-service (POS) option, and prohibit discrimination of providers "solely based on their license." PARCA currently enjoys over 220 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.
The following is an offering of interesting comments made by some of the legislators who spoke at the NCLC:
Congressman Charles Norwood (who was a dentist): "I remember when it was a doctor-patient relationship. I have touched patients. I have taken an ethics course.
"PARCA is about accountability and choice. The American people will make right choices about their health care if they can understand and have a choice."
House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO): "In improving health care, we don't want to get to the point where we have a bureaucrat making decisions based on the bottom line. It is time in America to return decisions back to the patient and provider and not (let them be) made by Wall Street."
Congressman John Dingell (D-MI): "You (chiropractors) have made life better and bearable for millions of people. You have improved their quality of life. People should have the ability to get to you."
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA): "We've got to open up health care for the American people today, because the cartel that controls health care is driving this country into bankruptcy."
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