Toward better health care for all.(Editorial)(Cover Story)

For many of the 174 million Americans who get their health insurance through an employer, fall is the "open window" period, when they can change plans. In this issue, a survey of more than 83,000 readers helped us rate managed-care plans for those wanting to see how their health maintenance organization (HMO) or preferred provider organization (PPO) compares. (See page 27.)

Consumers Union's health-policy experts have taken a broad look at the health-care market and are working to enact reforms.

In Washington, D.C., our advocates have pushed for federal legislation that would create a patients' bill of rights with key safeguards for consumers with private health insurance: the ability to get an independent review of treatment decisions, and the ability to sue a plan if unreasonable denial of care leads to injury or death.

The legislation now being considered by Congress would increase the ability of consumers in managed care to enroll in a point-of-service option, allowing them to go out of network for care and have increased access to specialists. Consumers Union supports these provisions.

Our advocates are also fighting amendments to the patients' bill of rights that we believe would make it more difficult and costly for the sick to get health insurance. For example, we oppose the expansion of medical savings accounts, which are pitched to the healthy and combine high-deductible health insurance with tax-favored savings accounts.

We support the federal ...