Finally, A Patients' Bill of Rights?

Today Obama announced what he's calling a patients' bill of rights. I've yet to see the "bill" but suspect that it regulates insurers' practices. From everything I'm reading, the details are still shaking out, but I doubt that it will become the bill of rights I've been advocating for: one that guarantees non-discriminatory health care delivery to all citizens regardless of age, race, sex, gender, faith or ability. I doubt it will include strong informed consent laws and mandatory referral laws that prevent providers from refusing services to patients. Perhaps the administration is waiting to tackle the "conscience clauses," most notably Bush's law instituted in December before he left office, and currently on pause since the election.

More news:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7073988.html

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/06/obama-turns-back-to-health-care/1

http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=200706