Principle #5:

Simplicity: Reducing paperwork and cutting red tape.

Gives everyone a Health Security Card. The card -- with full protection for privacy and confidentiality -- will allow for electronic billing and the creation of health care information networks. This will reduce paperwork and simplify the system.

Requires insurance companies to use a single claim form. The Health Security Act will reduce the insurance company red tape that forces doctors and patients to spend their time filling out forms and fighting bureaucrats. All health plans will adopt a single, standard claims form by Jan. 1, 1995. It will enable doctors and nurses to spend more time taking care of you -- and less time wrestling with paper.

Eliminates fine print. Everyone will get a comprehensive benefits package -- and what you get will be spelled out in easy-to understand language. If you get sick, insurance companies won't be able to point to fine print and deny you the coverage you've paid for.

Streamlines billing reimbursement for doctors, nurses and hospitals. The comprehensive benefits package, a standard rules and codes for payment, and elimination of excessive government regulations will reduce confusion. Doctors, nurses, and hospitals will have more time to care for patients; and all of us will benefit.

Removes the burden on business of negotiating insurance. Groups of businesses and consumers -- regional health alliances -- will negotiate for high-quality care at affordable prices. This will simplify today's system, where hundreds of thousands of businesses negotiate with more than 1500 insurance companies. The burden of finding insurance will be lifted -- and so will administrative costs -- which can run as high as 40% of total health costs for small business.

Section of President Clinton's speech covering simplicity