Gov. Vilsack pushes for Patients’ Bill of Rights

Governor Vilsack is pressuring Iowa lawmakers to enact a “patients’ bill of rights.” Vilsack, a democrat, met with republican Congressman Greg Ganske last week to review the alternatives republicans in the Iowa legislature have devised.Vilsack says those alternatives are flawed, for one, because they don’t ensure that Iowans have the ability to file an appeal to a state agency when they feel heir insurer isn’t providing an adequate level of care. In addition, Vilsack is pressing to enact a standard so people who go to the emergency room don’t get stuck with the bill if their problem doesn’t turn out to be serious. Vilsack hopes Congressman Ganske will “get on thebandwagon” and pressure statehouse republicans to move toward Vilsack’s ideas.