1.   Alternatively, patients could sue in federal court.

2.   As Congress ponders a law that would allow patients to sue HMOs for medical malpractice, Washington is being swamped with dire predictions from critics.

3.   At first, most Republicans opposed any new right for patients to sue HMOs, but eventually many decided that patients should have a limited new right to sue.

4.   Besides the laws in California and Texas that allow patients to sue HMOs, laws in Georgia and Louisiana give patients a mechanism to appeal HMO decisions.

5.   Both bills would allow patients to sue health insurance plans in some circumstances.

6.   Both would allow patients to sue health insurance plans in some circumstances.

7.   A copy of the House Republican bill was obtained Wednesday from business lobbyists who oppose any new right for patients to sue.

8.   A bill signed in August by Illinois Gov. George Ryan, broadened the rights of patients but did not address the question of whether patients could sue HMOs.

9.   A majority of House members also want to allow injured patients to sue HMOs for damages caused by the improper denial of care.

10.   A provision in a new Texas law allowing patients to sue health maintenance organizations and other insurers for malpractice was upheld Friday by a federal judge.