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View Full Version : "Death Panel" measure survives in new House health care bill



Little-Acorn
10-30-2009, 07:42 PM
Remember back when people began complaining about government running private health care agencies out of businesses by undercutting prices, and forcing companies who couldn't subsidize themselves with "free" tax money, to go bankrupt? And how this could eventually lead to the Govt being the only place you could get your health care... making the govt the only one in charge of deciding whether Granny should get expensive treatments that didn't have a 100% chance of prolonging her life?

Then came the news that this govt insurance would pay doctors for counselling session where they would give patients alternatives for end-of-life decisions.

Democrats screamed that these were not "death panels"... but in the Senate bill, they quietly took them out a week later.

Now, in the new 1,990-page House bill unveiled yesterday, they're back!

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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/29/called-death-panel-measure-survives-house-health/

So-Called 'Death Panel' Measure Survives in House Health Bill

October 29, 2009

WASHINGTON -- It's alive.

The Medicare end-of-life planning provision that 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin said was tantamount to "death panels" for seniors is staying in the latest Democratic health care bill unveiled Thursday.

The provision allows Medicare to pay for voluntary counseling to help beneficiaries deal with the complex and painful decisions families face when a loved one is approaching death.

For years, federal laws and policies have encouraged Americans to think ahead about end-of-life decisions, and make their wishes known in advance through living wills and similar legal documents. But when House Democrats proposed this summer to pay doctors for end-of-life counseling, it touched off a wave of suspicion and anger. Prominent Republicans singled it out as a glaring example of government overreach.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, at the time a lead negotiator on health care legislation, told constituents at a town hall meeting they had good reason to question the proposal.

"I don't have any problem with things like living wills, but they ought to be done within the family," he said. "We should not have a government program that determines you're going to pull the plug on grandma."

Thursday, the sponsor of the provision said the barrage of criticism may have actually helped.

"There is nothing more basic than giving someone the option of speaking with their doctor about how they want to be treated in the case of an emergency," said Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore. "I think the outrageous and vindictive attacks may have backfired to help raise awareness about this problem, which is why it's been kept in the bill."

The legislation would allow Medicare to pay for a counseling session with a doctor or clinical professional once every five years. The bill calls for such sessions to be "completely" voluntary, and prohibits the encouragement or promotion of suicide or assisted suicide.

The counseling provision is supported by doctors' groups and AARP, the seniors' lobby. It was not included in health care bills passed by two Senate committees.

YamiB.
10-30-2009, 08:24 PM
Why is it a bad thing for people to prepare for end of life care with the help of a medical professional?

http://docs.house.gov/rules/health/111_ahcaa.pdf



3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The QHBP offering entity —
(1) shall provide for the dissemination of information related to end-of-life planning to individuals seeking enrollment in Exchange-participating health benefits plans offered through the Exchange;
(2) shall present such individuals with—
(A) the option to establish advanced directives and physician’s orders for life sustaining treatment according to the laws of the State in which the individual resides; and
(B) information related to other planning tools; and
(3) shall not promote suicide, assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing. The information presented under paragraph (2) shall not presume the withdrawal of treatment and shall include end-of-life planning information that includes options to maintain all or most medical interventions.
(b) CONSTRUCTION.— Nothing in this section shall be construed—
(1) to require an individual to complete an advanced directive or a physician’s order for life sustaining treatment or other end-of-life planning document
(2) to require an individual to consent to restrictions on the amount, duration, or scope of medical benefits otherwise covered under a qualified health benefits plan; or
(3) to promote suicide, assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing.

This doesn't seem to match with what you were putting forward. What am I missing here?

Kathianne
10-30-2009, 08:53 PM
Death panels and public option. So too will be many things, including paying for grad school for veterinarians, pp 1255.

cat slave
10-30-2009, 09:13 PM
Well, the wording is harmless enough but we all know the rationing of care
will cause the "counseling" to pale in comparison and render it useless.
This is merely the tip of the iceberg IMO.

Kathianne
10-30-2009, 09:34 PM
Of interest:

http://www.pjtv.com/?cmd=video&video-id=2639

cat slave
10-30-2009, 09:44 PM
Did you hear about Stings epiphany that BO really is a messiah here to save
the world??? I think hes had a few too many tankers of Kool Aide.