Death panels versus hospice
Thursday, August 20, 2009
By Megan Sweas
Comments (12)
Under Obama's health care reform, critics say, "death panels" will decide who gets to live and who gets to die. Unfortunately, this scare tactic could mean no funding for a program many Catholics seem to think important: hospice care.
In theory at least, Catholics like to look at death as a natural part of life, as a point of transition and not an end. But at the same time, we all want to be alive, and death can be scary.
Sadly, some have chosen to speak to our fears with this talk of "death panels," and according to this NYT article, that might mean that politicians are scared of putting any "end-of-life" language in their bills, even if it's for funding of positive (and yes, probably cost-saving) programs that Medicare recipients couldn't otherwise afford on their own.
The article is a long one, but it's worth a read to see what exactly "palliative care" means and how our health care system could handle death a lot better than it is.
Religion and Ethics Newsweekly is also covering this issue well. Here are a few stories to watch:
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I'm glad to see that most
By harlamar (not verified) on Saturday, March 20, 2010I'm glad to see that most people seem to be intelligent enough to see past this scare tactic. The health insurance industry could certainly use reform, as both sides can agree on that.
Death Panels
By Anonymous (not verified) on Thursday, February 4, 2010My aunt occupied my 84 year old grandmother for a doctor’s visit. The doctor informed them that grandmother had cancer. They discussed the treatment, the harshness of the treatment vs. added time to her life. It was my aunt’s and grandmother’s decision not to undergo treatment. Two years of a good life made more sense than three years in hospitals, with sickness and misery. I consider this an end of life consultation. No government agency was involved in the conversation. Just the three of them. My grandmother lived 8 more years past that visit. Eight good years.
Let's put it this way.
By Anonymous (not verified) on Wednesday, August 26, 2009Let's put it this way. Meeting my sisters for lunch including one of their husbands where 3 were Republicans, I a Democrat and one sister no connection to a party we dared to bring up the healthcare. My unafiliated sister started to say that as a moral issue all people should have access to health care whereupon the Republican ones jumped in with illegals taking all the money for it so my sister said "okay, well in GOD'S WORLD all people should get healthcare" and everyone went silent. Are we as Catholic christians living more in the political world or God's world? I hope I am living more in God's world, how about you?
God's World and Health Care
By Jerry (not verified) on Wednesday, August 26, 2009A big chunk of the estimated 47 million "Americans" without health insurance are illegal aliens. They already receive free health care in the United States which far surpasses what they would receive in their own countries.
It isn't so noble to advocate using the power of the law to take money away from other people and claim you are doing God's work. (Taxing is essentially ordering men with guns to take money away from others, such a proposal to raise the marginal tax rate to over 58% in New York on those who earn more than $250K).
Since you are so kind hearted, why stop at illegal aliens who are breaking the law? You can vote to have men with guns take more money from other people and give it to poor people in other countries. As Karl Marx said, "from each according to his abilities; to each according to his needs."
Why so angry
By mewingcat (not verified) on Friday, September 25, 2009Yikes, Jerry. Why so much anger?
Taxing, tithing. If taxing is ordering men to take money away from others, then I'd say tithing is threatening men with eternal damnation to take money away. Please.
You're being outlandish.
I'm quite happy. I love
By Jerry D (not verified) on Friday, September 25, 2009I'm quite happy. I love clarity.
A preacher can threaten you with eternal damnation all he wants, but you are still free to reject his teaching.
Having clarity that taxing others reduces their liberty is not anger. Really! :)
I wish we could stop making
By Kelly (not verified) on Tuesday, August 25, 2009I wish we could stop making every issue an "us and them", Repub v. Dem fight. Some things (like kidnapping and torture) are just plain evil and should NEVER be done, period. Regardless of which "side" you're on, there is no moral justification for that.
This "death panel" fearmongering is equally sad. I was a Social Worker in a small, midwestern Catholic hospital, and I can tell you horror stories of families torn apart because they couldn't agree how to proceed with a loved one's care, when the person was unable to express his/her wishes.
End of life planning is critically important and I was thrilled that doctors would be compensated for those discussions and encouraged (via data collection) to engage their patients in this manner. Too many doctors eagerly turn away from tough conversations and it leaves the entire family in a state of limbo.
It's a shame that some politicians choose to use such a sensitive and extremely important issue to manipulate a fearful public. I wish, instead, that we could have a long-overdue discussion of end of life planning -- leaving the politics out of it.
Let's leave the politics out
By Jerry (not verified) on Tuesday, August 25, 2009Kelly,
The way you leave the politics out of issues is by leaving the government out. Modern Liberals, more accurately Statists, believe in having the government control just about everything including end of life decisions. I don't want the government collecting taxes to provide end of life counseling as government bureaucrats see fit. Don't advocate controlling others by creating laws you advocate and then claim you are non-political.
Intolerant liberals bashing Megan
By Jerry (not verified) on Monday, August 24, 2009Megan puts death panels in quotes and calls it a scare tactic, but two liberals below are so intolerant about anything they disagree, they bash Megan for even mentioning the issue. It belongs in a 1984 "memory hole."
Two days ago a friend told me how her friend under the Oregon public health plan was denied cancer treatment but offered assisted suicide for free. She is not the person to make up stories, but I did a google search and found the following:
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=12857
For intelligent discussion on death panels:
Death Panels?
By TJGray (not verified) on Friday, August 21, 2009What on Earth are you thinking?
First of all, there is NO SUCH THING as "Death Panels". That is a term used only by the Republicans and those idiots on Fox to scare the public. To use that term in your website is completely irresponsible.
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