What's been known as the "end-of-life" provision is being dropped from the bill by "key senators." Yahoo News reports:
A health care bill passed by three House committees allows Medicare to reimburse doctors for voluntary counseling sessions about end-of-life decisions. But critics have claimed the provision could lead to death panels and euthanasia for seniors.
I realize that some pundits have taken this out of context and claimed that the government is trying to set up euthanasia camps and such - I know that it isn't that bad so don't put me in the same category as the over-reactors.
However, I was not happy about this being in the bill. It allows a doctor to be paid simply because they discussed end-of-life therapy - giving doctors incentive to discuss these options with patients when they might have ignored it, otherwise. That's not the kind of incentive I want the government to give people.What do you think? Let me know in the comments if you think my reaction is appropriate or if I should reconsider this whole thing. Talk to me.
2 comments:
Well I agree with you that many (mostly right wing folks) are over reacting and latching on to scary phrases like death panels to get the public swayed one way or the other. I am not a fan of this health care plan in any shape thus far (still working my way through the 1000 pages admittedly and haven't been impressed to date). But I'll reserve a final verdict until I have been thoroughly educated on it.
I was glad to hear about the death counseling option being eliminated though. As you said, for some doctors this would give them the incentive to counsel someone who might have otherwise been deemed unqualified for that option or discussion.
I like to think the majority of doctors wouldn't violate their oaths in such a way, but money is a heavy temptation and it only takes one bad egg to spoil it all.
At least there is a ray of hope in this... That's more than we had when it was originally released...
great post as always adam...
Before my mother died, I wished her doctor had discussed with her what she wanted to do in the event that she couldn't make her own "end of life" decision.
That never came up because no one expected her to go so suddenly.
She came down with Stephen Johnson's Syndrome...a painful but fairly quick death.
Within two weeks she went from healthy to unresponsive. After heart failure, the doctor asked me to make a decision about pulling the heart pump and breathing apparatus that she was hooked to. He said she might continue to breath on her own or expire.
It was pretty traumatic. I felt like I was playing god.
My brother and I discussed it and decided for ourselves that she would probably not want to be kept artificially alive.
We told the doctor to pull the plug.
He did.
She died.
I have always felt a bit guilty not knowing what she would actually wanted. I guess I should have talked to her about death. I never did.
But maybe her doctor would have if it were part of a counseling program.
In fact why not have doctors call all family members in together to discuss what they would want to have the doctor to do under different medical circumstances...organ donations..even how they want their body to be disposed of.
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