Posted on 07/26/2009 8:58:53 AM PDT by cricket
Please read and take note folks:
Let you 'Reps; hear from you!
Section 1233 of HR 3200, the healthcare reform measure under consideration, mandates "Advance Care Planning Consultation."Further reading of the law reveals that these sessions are nothing more than a not-so-veiled attempt to convince the elderly to forego treatment.
HR 3200 calls outright for these compulsory consultations to recommend "palliative care and hospice." These are typically administered in the place of treatment intended to prolong life, and instead focus on pain relief until death. These are, of course, reasonable and beneficial options for terminally ill patients and their families.
But this legislation doesn't stop there. Section 1233 requires "an explanation by the practitioner of the continuum of end-of-life services and supports available, including palliative care and hospice, and benefits for such services and supports that are available under this title." But, under the terms of the section, the federal government can compel more frequent end-of-life sessions if it declares a "significant change" in the health of the Medicare recipient, a change that the bill does not confine to fatal illness, but which encompasses broad and abstract conditions described as "chronic," "progressive," or "life-limiting." The bill even empowers physicians to make an "actionable medical order" to "limit some or all specified interventions..."
In effect, the government can determine that a "life-limiting" condition demands the withholding of treatment.
The bill puts the Secretary of Health in charge of life and death decisions coming out of these sessions. Under the heading, "QUALITY REPORTING INITIATIVE," the bill says, "For purposes of reporting data on quality measures for covered professional services furnished during 2011 and any subsequent year, to the extent that measures are available, the Secretary shall include quality measures on end of life care and advanced care planning that have been adopted or endorsed by a consensus-based organization, if appropriate.
Such measures shall measure both the creation of and adherence to orders for life-sustaining treatment."
These measures are merely an extension of the healthcare provisions hidden in the stimulus bill, which contained alarming new guidelines that required medical practitioners to judge whether or not treating certain patients was "comparatively effective." These decisions were to be based on the findings of a presidential advisory council on the costs of varying treatments.
As a result of these changes, treatment is now a question of "cost" and humans are viewed as potential "liabilities" instead of patients. kind of demagoguery imaginable.
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) lacks any shame, saying that doctors who oppose this legislation have "lost sight of the common good and the pledge they took in the Hippocratic oath." Last time I checked, the Hippocratic oath didn't say anything about refusing to treat patients on the basis of cost.
And somehow, whenever the words "common good" are thrown around, individuals are about to be hurt. McDermott even went on to accuse anti-reform doctors of "practicing fear without a license," saying that "they should be subject to a malpractice suit."
President Obama has even been so disingenuous as to accuse Republicans of denying medical treatment to people that need it, saying, "The opponents of health insurance reform would have us do nothing. But think about what doing nothing, in the face of ever increasing costs, will do to you and your family."
This is a classic false choice scenario. Either we pass Obama's legislation, or people will die.
In fact, doing nothing is infinitely preferable to doing the wrong thing, especially when we're being pushed to move too quickly.
more/[. . .]/end
Of course, if you have a hefty bank account, they will always find your condition to be “treatable” if not “curable”.
Till the well runs dry. Then you will be “terminal”.
Democrat in 1984 quoted in the NY Timesshalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
GOV. LAMM ASSERTS ELDERLY, IF VERY ILL, HAVE 'DUTY TO DIE'
Why We Must Ration Health Care. White Man's Last Stand. Health Care Bill
Passes First Test on Capitol Hill. For Clinton, '09 Campaign Is for Her Turf ...
nytimes.com/1984/03/29/us/gov-lamm-asserts-elderly-if-very-ill-have-duty-to-die... 5.
The AARP has just sent out a mailing with petition forms to send to your senators—with no specifics, just a lot of namby-pamby generalities that mean nothing. In other words, a show of strength for their position whatever that may be. I know they are against universal health care, as they are basically a big insurance company, but what specifically are they for and against in this bill of goods?
Don't know; save they are 'Liberal'; but perhaps they have found out; they are much less so; than the current 'power structure'.
Would think by now they have read this; and they should have issues. . .
It is reprehensible that they have sent out this mailing with no specifics. Millions of well-meaning seniors may send these petitions not know what they are asking for, and not being made aware of the dangers in this bill. If so, I hope AARP is at leaat against bumping off its own members.
t is reprehensible that they have sent out this mailing with no specifics. Millions of well-meaning seniors may send these petitions not know what they are asking for, and not being made aware of the dangers in this bill.
The answer appears to be here; at AARP site; and it is not pretty. . .they are doing 'phone-in' town meetings; and connecting members by phone to their Congress Reps as well. . .
The truth be damned commentary and responses from AARP
http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/policy/articles/aarp_telephone_town_hall_meetings_on_health_care_reform_draw_400_000.html
************
“The moment is right—people are interested, they’re listening, they’re asking questions,” says Barry Jackson, AARP’s manager for advocacy. Jackson says AARP state offices will continue to hold both local tele-town halls and national sessions as the debate over health care intensifies.
Here then, are some of the typical questions and answers fielded during the town hall meetings.
Why is AARP not standing up for seniors when Obama says he will cut Medicare to help pay for health care?
The proposed changes to Medicare will help to get fraud, waste and abuse out of the system and create payment incentives to reward doctors and hospitals for the quality, rather than the quantity, of care they provide. They will not cut the benefits our members rely on in the traditional Medicare program, but will help to keep it affordable to make sure you get the care you need.
Isn’t this socialized medicine?
No. In socialized medicine the government directly owns the hospitals and directly employs the doctors. No one in Washington is talking seriously about anything like that. What health reform will do instead is provide people with a system much like the one members of Congress enjoy today. They will be able to choose from a range of quality, affordable private health plans, and possibly a publicly run option as well.
These plans will have to accept everyone regardless of preexisting conditions or age. There also will be sliding-scale subsides for people with moderate to low incomes to make sure the coverage is affordable for everyone.
Will I lose access to my doctor?
No. The legislation will include a much-needed fix to the Medicare physician payment system to prevent an unwarranted 20 percent cut in their rates that otherwise would take effect next January and threaten access to doctors. It also will increase pay for primary care doctors to help preserve access to them, and promote training of more primary care doctors and nurses and geriatricians so we have enough health professionals to treat everyone.
Will there be rationing of health care to seniors based on age?
Absolutely not! That’s a very harmful myth that opponents of reform are spreading to scare seniors. Nothing in the proposed legislation would lead to rationing of care for older Americans or anyone, and if it did, AARP would be leading the fight to kill it.
Is there mandatory end-of-life counseling for all seniors? Why?
No. This is another myth that reform opponents are using to scare people. What the bill does is let physicians get paid by Medicare for counseling people about things like advance directives, living wills, durable powers of attorney, hospice care and other steps people can take to make sure their wishes about how they want to be cared for at the end of life are known and followed.
It’s entirely up to the doctor and patient whether this counseling takes place, and completely up to patients whether they take steps based on the counseling to put their end-of-life wishes into legal documents.
Facing a terminal disease or debilitating accident, some people want every possible life-saving measure in the hopes that treatment will give them more time with their families. Others will decide that additional treatment is not what they want and decline extraordinary measures.
Either way, it should be their choice; all this does is help them make informed decisions about these issues with their doctor.
Will I be losing Medicare as the result of reform?
No. If you like the coverage you have, you can keep it, and that includes Medicare and your medigap coverage. Reform will help curb skyrocketing inflation throughout our health care system, including Medicare, so that Medicare coverage remains affordable for both you and the taxpayers who help foot the bill.
Will I be able to keep my current insurance coverage, which works well?
Yes. If you like the coverage you have, you can keep it.
Will preexisting conditions continue to exclude people from coverage?
No. There is broad, bipartisan agreement that health reform should ban insurers from discriminating against people based on any preexisting health problems.
Elizabeth Agnvall is a contributing editor at the AARP Bulletin.
Well, let's hear for Elizabeth! Good Job!/not. . .outrageous, really; and record here, needs to be corrected so as to tell the truth!.
AARP members are the folks who believe there is a Social Security “trust fund”.
Good luck trying to use logic on them.
And believe me, it’s nice to be seen—esp. by YOU. Just celebrated my 70th birthday, I feel very good, and the world is still on its axis—I think. Love, Maryxxx
Good for you.
Lol. . .if only/sigh. . .
A very, very Happy Birthday to you, and May God Bless and keep you.
XXXOOO
Bless you, Ron. Love to you, too.
Germany didn't need more opposing articles and strongly-worded letters.
As essentially a giant insurance company, AARP stands to benefit when medical costs go down, even when costly patients go out of the picture, so it is not surprising that they are backing the Brave New World bill. As I suspected I’m afraid. Thanks for the info.
Here is one of our Country's largest 'Lobby's'; and it is misleading/lying to it's membership!
Senator Kyl offered today; that this issue does need more time; and that Congress is listening to the people they represent. That is great; but the fast-talking Dems pushing this; cannot be allowed to get away with their continually misrepresenting the truth here.
(Of course, that IS how we arrived here at this critical moment of truth that our Country is facing.)
We can all think of a few places to share 'e-mail' here - 'challenge the media and our Reps to 'challenge AARP - and perhaps Elizabeth Agnvall could use a few more in her mailbox. . .
And so spent the last hour; moving around the world - and now, back again; but no 'jiggity-jog' about it.
Given that we all; if not already; are destined to be - 'useless eaters'; and that this is a longstanding MO; think I will just check my refrigerator. . .before I go to bed.
Am sure Freepers could fill a volume; don't you think? Here's a few per my 'two cents'. . .
Obama Care/ Old; Infirm; Disabled. . .Need NOT APPLY
Government Health Care/ Don't be a CANDIDATE
Heath Care REFORM RATIONING/ line starts at the back
Soylent Green IS GREEN!
OBAMA CARE/ If You cannot Remember - FORGET IT!
Imagery comes to mind. . .Wyeth's Christina's World. . .and Edvard Munch's The Scream. . .
Does it appear above, or below, *mine*?
the infowarrior
The answer to your questions are, alas, yes... By and large we have become such a people. This is the true legacy of Roe vs. Wade, now coming home to roost...
the infowarrior
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