Here is some basic information about the discharge of the Patients' Bill of Rights. It will be updated as necessary:

On June 23, 1999, Representative Dingell introduced a discharge petition for the Patients' Bill of Rights (http://clerkweb.house.gov/106/lrc/pd/petitions/Dis3.htm).

Technically, the petition would discharge the Committee on Rules from consideration of  H.Res 197, an open rule for the consideration of H.R. 358, the Patients' Bill of Rights.  An open rule means that the bill would be open to all amendments, including substitutes.  (See also Mr. Dingell's May 27th statement.)

If 218 Members sign the discharge petition, then the House Rules provide procedures for going to the House Floor to bring about a vote to discharge the rule, which would bring about consideration of the bill.

(Note: In previous Congresses, it might have been the case that a discharge petition would be filed on the bill itself, but that procedure is archaic, because the bill would then be considered under the general rules of the House, which are cumbersome. Under modern procedure, it is common to file a rule for the consideration of the bill in the Committee of the Whole, as is the case with nearly all bills, and then file a discharge petition to discharge the rule.)