Bond defends HMO plan

Senator Kit Bond is returning fire in the wake of President Clinton’s criticism of the republican-backed Patients’ Bill of Rights approved by the Senate. Clinton blasted the plan during his speech in Columbia. Bond charges the democratic Norwood-Dingel bill that passed the House relies too heavily on the right to sue insurance companies, which he says would drive up costs. Bond says the republican plan provides the right to sue without driving up costs.