New Medicare Rule Offers End-of-Life Planning, But White House Says It's Nothing New

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

WASHINGTON-- The White House is pushing back against a front-page New York Times story out Sunday that suggests end-of-life planning policies -- or "death panels" as termed by critics -- have been resurrected through Obama administration rule-making.

The new Medicare rule that takes effect on Jan. 1 will allow payment for doctors to provide counseling to help beneficiaries deal with end-of-life planning assistance. The "voluntary advance care planning" is included in a Medicare regulation issued Dec. 3 that covers annual checkups, known as wellness visits.

But the White House said Sunday the end-of-life planning provisions aren't new to health care services provided by the government.

"The Times story is wrong. This benefit was signed into law under President Bush. The only thing new here is a regulation allowing the discussions --authorized in 2003 by the prescription drug benefit -- to happen in the context of the new annual wellness visit created by the Affordable Care Act," said White House spokesman Reid Cherlin.
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Remember, it's not a "Death Panel," and besides it's Bush's fault.

[NCJim]

In October of 1939 amid the turmoil of the outbreak of war Hitler ordered widespread "mercy killing" of the sick and disabled.

 

Code named "Aktion T 4," the Nazi euthanasia program to eliminate "life unworthy of life" at first focused on newborns and very young children. Midwives and doctors were required to register children up to age three who showed symptoms of mental retardation, physical deformity, or other symptoms included on a questionnaire from the Reich Health Ministry.

 

A decision on whether to allow the child to live was then made by three medical experts solely on the basis of the questionnaire, without any examination and without reading any medical records.

 

Each expert placed a + mark in red pencil or - mark in blue pencil under the term "treatment" on a special form. A red plus mark meant a decision to kill the child. A blue minus sign meant a decision against killing. Three plus symbols resulted in a euthanasia warrant being issued and the transfer of the child to a 'Children's Specialty Department' for death by injection or gradual starvation.

 

The decision had to be unanimous. In cases where the decision was not unanimous the child was kept under observation and another attempt would be made to get a unanimous decision.

 

The Nazi euthanasia program quickly expanded to include older disabled children and adults. Hitler's decree of October, 1939, typed on his personal stationary, enlarged "the authority of certain physicians to be designated by name in such manner that persons who, according to human judgment, are incurable can, upon a most careful diagnosis of their condition of sickness, be accorded a mercy death."

[ErnstBlofeld]

Most hospitals in the United States have a end of life administrator that gives families options such as hospice care. Having a will or a living will would be considered end of life planning. I have a will and money set aside for the way I want to be buried.My will is six pages long. I have a living will stating my wishes in case I am unable to make them.

 

http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=401

[NCJim]

The greatest damage this policy will inflict is not to the sick of today, but to the scientific spirit of curiosity and to the future of medical research that it impels. Medical advances will suffer, as doctors lose interest in tackling the hard challenges of curing seemingly intractable diseases. Great minds will whither - as it is easier to just take the money and counsel the easy way out. This is the peril of bureaucratic medicine.

[ErnstBlofeld]

The greatest damage this policy will inflict is not to the sick of today, but to the scientific spirit of curiosity and to the future of medical research that it impels. Medical advances will suffer, as doctors lose interest in tackling the hard challenges of curing seemingly intractable diseases. Great minds will whither - as it is easier to just take the money and counsel the easy way out. This is the peril of bureaucratic medicine.

 

I see nothing wrong of getting advice and taking control how I or a loved one should die. I made the sole decision to pull the plug on my father after getting advice from two doctors and one administrator after an half and hour consultation.Would I make the same decision again, Yes.The man was suffering. What was I supposed to do? See him suffer and screaming that he was in pain while he was dozing in and out of consciousness.Its bad enough that I am haunted every day the decision to pull the plug on my father who I admired dearly.I also feel the advice that was given me by the hospital was based on his medical situation was sound.