1.   An advisory commission today completed recommendations to U.S. President Bill Clinton on increasing consumer control over coverage decisions by their health insurers.

2.   But rather than basing coverage decisions on price alone, the advocates advise people to talk with friends and insurance regulators to learn how different companies treat customers.

3.   Instead, the companies say they base their coverage decisions on a combination of past experience with their customers and statistical estimates of future risk.

4.   It would have created new ways for patients to appeal the coverage decisions of insurers, but Democrats complained that it did not go far enough.

5.   Legislation giving consumers greater control over medical coverage decisions by managed-care health insurers will become law next year, a Republican congressman predicted today.

6.   Other bills before the Legislature include several requiring medical directors who make coverage decisions affecting California patients to hold California medical licenses.

7.   The court indicated that federal law allows HNO coverage decisions to be challenged at the time but bars damage suits later.

8.   The largest Massachusetts health insurers say they use physicians to make coverage decisions, so they already comply with the proposed rule.

9.   U.S. President Bill Clinton today endorsed the work of an advisory commission as a framework for legislation to increase consumer control over health coverage decisions by insurers.

10.   U.S. President Bill Clinton will call on Congress to pass legislation this year that would increase consumer control over health coverage decisions by insurers.