Secretary Thompson said he wanted to remove the consent requirements because he believed they could delay care.

This travel time often poses an obstacle to receiving medical care and often leads patients to delay care until later.

But Congressional critics say such plans have caused much suffering by delaying or denying care in an effort to save money.

But just as often, it delays and impedes crucial care.

"They will delay care and end up with costly complications."

Patients without insurance coverage tend to delay care so that minor illnesses fester, becoming more serious problems, health experts say.

Prop 4 may force these teens to delay medical care, turn to self-induced abortions, or consider suicide.

Still, when something goes wrong with our eyes, we often delay medical care, either ignoring the symptoms or attempting self-treatment.

As a doctor, I often see the tragedy when patients delay needed care because they can't pay for it.

He said the campaigning and media circus in the state did not affect him greatly - apart from delaying medical care to his livestock.