The FEHBP was created through an Act in Congress in 1959 and began to provide health benefits to federal employees in July 1960. See “Federal Employees Health Benefits Program” (visited December 17, 2000) <http://www.opm.gov/insure/health>.
2.
See “Patient Protections: Clinton Announces New Patient Protections for FEHBP, Pushes Managed Care Proposal,”BNA's Health Law Reporter, 8 (April 15, 1999): At 613 [hereinafter cited as “Patient Protections”].
3.
See “Quality Assurance: Clinton Orders Federal Health Programs to Comply With ‘Consumer Bill of Rights,’”BNA's Health Law Reporter, 7 (February 26, 1998): At 337 [hereinafter cited as “Quality Assurance”].
4.
The Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry was created by President Clinton to advise him about the current issues and trends in health care.
The Norwood-Dingell bill was drafted by House Representative Charlie Norwood (R-GA) and Representative Dingell (D-MI), the ranking Democrat on the Commerce Committee responsible for the bill. See “Whither the Patients' Bill of Rights?,”asap! Update, July 2000 (visited December 16, 2000) <http://www.familiesusa.org/asap/up720pbr.htm>.
9.
Id.
10.
See “Patient Protections,”supra note 2, at 613.
11.
Id.
12.
See id.
13.
“Self-insured” plans are those where the employer assumes the cost of its employees' claims and bears all financial risk. See “The 106th Congress: How Federal Managed Care Legislation Affects You: A Comparison of Key Provisions in the Senate and House Bills on Managed Care” (visited December 17, 2000) <http://www.familiesusa.org/managedcare+u/compare2.htm>.
14.
See “Patient Protections,”supra note 2, at 613.
15.
The “prudent layperson” standard is used to determine the level of health care “a person with average knowledge of health and medicine” can reasonably expect. See “Quality Assurance,”supra note 3, at 337.
