Talk About Kaiser Chutzpah!

Outline for Rescue Health Care Day Event - Seattle, WA

Coordinated by Washington State Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers

Rescue Health Care Day: Putting Patient Rights into Action
A Teach-In for Consumers

Labor Temple, 2800 First Avenue, Seattle, WA
April 1, 2000
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Health care has been cut back and become more difficult to access over the past 10 years. This is in large part due to the effects of managed care.

Washington has recognized the importance of giving consumers more power over their health care benefits with the "Patient Bill of Rights" currently being considered by the legislature. The major elements of this bill are the basis for informed and more effective use of our health care benefits.

As part of a nation-wide effort sponsored by the Coalition of Mental Health Professionals and Consumers and Physicians Who Care on April 1, 2000, a Teach-In on patient rights will be held in Seattle to empower consumers. All the areas covered in the Patient Bill of Rights will be spelled out in practical terms by political and health care community leaders. I n addition, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) will speak on efforts on the national level to enact a Patient Bill of Rights. We will also have a consumer who has been effective in advocating for health care benefits speak on what worked.

We hope to have a broad cross-section of consumers attend who will be able to educate their groups on this important topic.

Teach-In Program

9 a.m. - Welcome and Introductions

9:10 a.m. - Discussion of Patient Bill of Rights including Disclosure, Privacy, Independent Review Organizations, and the Right to Sue Insurers

10:30 a.m. - Discussion of Actual Consumer Experience Using Patient Rights

11:00 a.m. - Discussion of National Patient Bill of Rights - Rep. Jim McDermott

11:50 a.m. - Summary and Close; Possibly Minute of Silence, too.