To the editor:

Kudos to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius for her veto of CCR SB 55, a bill that would have exempted all health care providers from the full coverage of the Consumer Protection Act. The governor’s veto safeguards the interests of Kansas consumers of health care, which is basically everyone, right?

Contrary to the assertions of the Kansas Medical Society and other health care providers, who were pushing the bill through the Legislature, the veto simply maintains the status quo. The veto keeps the 30-year-old Consumer Protection Act intact, with no special exemptions for deceptive practices and unconscionable acts for any professionals. The Consumer Protection Act is probably more important now than when it was created, given the blurred lines between business and the health care industry.

As a member of the board of Kansas Advocates for Better Care, and as a civil justice attorney, I applaud the governor’s thorough and intelligent review of this bill, resulting in the only reasonable conclusion: a veto – no free passes for deceptive acts and practices.

Margaret Farley,

Lawrence