Grassley Warns Of Government Pulling Plug "On Grandma"

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: In The News

(CBS)

Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, said at a town hall meeting today that Americans "have every right to fear" government health care reform efforts, which he suggested would lead to the government deciding when to "pull the plug" on older Americans.

"In the House bill, there is counseling for end of life," Grassley told a crowd of approximately 300, according to the Iowa Independent. "You have every right to fear. You shouldn't have counseling at the end of life, you should have done that 20 years before. Should not have a government run plan to decide when to pull the plug on grandma."

Grassley's claim is based on an inaccurate interpretation of an end of life counseling provision that appears in the House health care bill as it now stands. As President Obama explained at his town hall yesterday, the provision in question would allow Medicare to pay doctors to counsel patients about end-of-life care issues, such as living wills and hospice care. Only those seeking such guidance would receive it.

The provision would not, Mr. Obama said, "basically pull the plug on grandma because we decided that it's too expensive to let her live anymore." Republican Johnny Isakson, who has supported similar provisions in the Senate, called the notion that such counseling promotes euthanasia "nuts." (It should be noted that Isakson released a statement yesterday saying he does not support the House provision as it stands now.)

Grassley said this morning that "there are some people who think it is a terrible problem that grandma is laying in a bed with tubes in her… and that the government should intervene. I think that's a family or religious thing that needs to be dealt with."

Following the event, the Iowa Independent points out, Democratic state Sen. Joe Bolkom called for Grassley to condemn the people spreading lies about the issue. Bolkom noted that Iowa already has a similar counseling provision on the books.

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Republican Policy Committee Chairman Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) put out a statement last month claiming the health care legislation "may place seniors in situations where they feel pressured to sign end of life directives they would not otherwise sign. This provision may start us down a treacherous path toward government-encouraged euthanasia if enacted into law."

And former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has also pushed this idea, warning that "my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so [President Obama's] bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care."

As several media outlets have noted, the claim that federal bureaucrats would play God under the current bills is false.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by pasmalltown August 13, 2009 10:14 PM EDT: mosby12 - August 13, 2009 7:38 PM EDT

Hey giant brain, think about this -
A major concern which health care reform SHOULD address is placing checks on the rising cost of health insurance, so why not incentivise doctors to look at ways to minimize costs? Drug and private health insurance companies exist to maximize their profits, so where's their incentive to reduce costs? At the moment, they have little if any incentive to reduce cost.

And you really need to explain what you mean when you say: "end of life" - Do you mean to say "ending your life medication" or medication used towards the end of life to sustain/ease life further(hospice medication)? If you suggest the latter, then you're the pinhead - drug companies want to make money so they don't have incentive to make cheaper end of life medications and insurance companies have no incentive to press these types of generic drugs because they may sustain life further thereby eating into their bottom line...
Furthermore, with regard to your statemnt,"Hey Dimwit READ THE BILL" -BILL? What bill are you refering to? What BILL did you actually read? Wait ten or twenty years down the road without making healthcare more affordable and you'll get the BILL... it may not be in the mail, but you'll get it.; Reply to this comment


by mosby12 August 13, 2009 7:38 PM EDT: Hey Dimwit READ THE BILL. I have and its not a MIS interpretation. The government will incentivise Doctors by paying/rewarding them to keep costs down. How do you do that jerkweed... you limit end of life medicine that everyone knows is the most costly. Did you leave your brain at home today or are always this stupid?; Reply to this comment


by fred-mertz August 13, 2009 9:39 AM EDT: Chuck grASSley is doing the work of the insurance companies who OWN him. He does NOT work for the people of Iowa. He works for THEM.

At a town meeting yesterday, he got several very stupid republicans VERY angry and worked up over the "death panels", telling them "they should all be very afraid".

grASSley knows who butters his bread!

I have spent my life fighting with insurance companies, trying to get them to pay for health care services that they are SUPPOSED TO cover, but just couldn't be bothered to pay because that would cut into their profits. I am one of the "lucky ones" because I actually have something that calls itself "insurance". But repukes DON'T WANT everyone to have insurance (it's only for healthy people!), and they DON'T WANT insurance to have to do what they claim it does-- i.e., provide some kind of "safety net" so that you can pay for treatment if, God forbid, you might someday get sick.

Chuck grASSley has his own insurance policy, paid for by OUR TAXES, and we can all just die, for all he cares!; Reply to this comment


by bradkt1 August 13, 2009 2:08 AM EDT: Democrats have been wasting their time trying to achieve some sort of compromise with this guy on health care. These comments prove it. He's just been playing the delay game...and playing Democrats for fools.; Reply to this comment


by vista8635 August 12, 2009 10:42 PM EDT: Sen. Chuck Grassley is not a chairman of any committee. The main reason he is important is because he carries water for the health insurance and pharmaceuticals industries that want to stop health care reform.; Reply to this comment

by the_majesty August 12, 2009 9:01 PM EDT

Pleae don't cry one tear for me
I'm not afraid of what I have to say
This is my one and only voice
So listen close, it's only for today

American Patriots must stand up for our Rights and Freedoms.
If we lose them we won't get them back.
STAND UP --- STAND UP AND FIGHT --- NEVER SURRENDER
Never surrender to the TYRANNY of Obama ... NEVER ...

Reply to this comment


by veritas_1212 August 12, 2009 9:07 PM EDT: What tyranny ? I haven't seen any "tyranny" from Obama whatsoever.


by the_majesty August 12, 2009 9:46 PM EDT: veritas1212 ... Obama has taken over the banks.
He has taken over the Auto industry.
He is trying to take over health care.
He has put people in place to kill the Second Amendment.
He wants to disarm America and then total control.

by kansas1946 August 12, 2009 7:36 PM EDT

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by pasmalltown August 13, 2009 5:25 AM EDT: To 3GB2 August 13, 2009 12:07 AM EDT -

Comparing healthcare to buying a car is inane, but I agree with you about the name calling stuff so why don't you take some of you're own advice and stop "hurling" insults? Have a little more respect for someone that has a different opinion and you're probably thinking now "Well, he started the name calling first!" - but be a bigger man and stick to the issues.


by licht1 August 12, 2009 7:14 PM EDT: First appointment to the Obama Death Panel.

See:

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/paula-abdul-named-to-obama-death-panel/; Reply to this comment

by swin5 August 12, 2009 6:33 PM EDT

If we have no reason to be concerned about this bill then tell my why BO, Pelosi, Reid etc. are in such a rush to pass it before anybody gets a chance to read it.

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