"The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) strongly supports the President's call for passage of a patient's bill of rights, especially provisions that protect a person's access to emergency care. The President asked for bipartisan efforts to enact legislation to protect the quality of care and prevent the growing number of people who are being denied coverage by their managed care plans. ACEP believes that the prudent layperson standard for access to emergency services must be included in health care legislation. This standard requires health plans to cover emergency services based on a patient's presenting symptoms rather than his or her final diagnosis and prohibits health plans from requiring patients to obtain prior authorization before seeking emergency care.

"President Clinton also raised the issue of increased funding for government and community programs that address the threat of nuclear, chemical and biological terrorism. Emergency physicians, nurses, paramedics and hospital staff will play a key role in responding to the casualties and injuries inflicted by such weapons."

ACEP was recently awarded a federal contract by the Office of Emergency Preparedness of the U.S. Public Health Service to develop a training course for emergency medical service personnel who respond to causalities from terrorist incidents involving nuclear, biological, or chemical (NBC) weapons.

The American College of Emergency Physicians is a medical specialty society representing nearly 20,000 physicians who specialize in emergency medicine. ACEP is dedicated to improving emergency care through continuing education, research, and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state as well as Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and Government Services. SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians

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Last modified: 10.15.07 Copyright © 1999 The Kentucky EMS Connection. All rights reserved. News stories may be copyrighted by another organization. Original material may be reproduced provided source is credited.