Sens. Drop End-of-Life Provision from Bill

Republican Chuck Grassley Says Controversial Provision Has Been Dropped from Bipartisan Negotiation in the Senate

(CBS/ AP)  Key senators are excluding a provision on end-of-life care from health overhaul legislation after language in a House bill caused a furor.

Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement Thursday that the provision had been dropped from consideration because it could be misinterpreted or implemented incorrectly.

CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella reports that proponents of health care reform believe that if more terminally ill patients were given end-of-life counseling, they would be less likely to chose futile, expensive treatments. It is estimated that 27 percent of Medicare's $327 billion budget is used by patients in the last year of life. That makes end-of-life spending an attractive target for cost cutting, Cobiella 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.

The Senate Finance Committee is still working to complete a bill.

[ubrew12]

CBS_sensors_you: They removed the living will provision. Also known as 'advanced directives': which Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich gushed about just a year ago.

But, now that Palin, Gingrich and the GOP have decided that living wills are actually DEATH PANELS, they got it removed because DEATH PANELS scare the sh*t out of the GOP sheep.

The real reason it needed to be removed was the expected $3 billion cost to the health system in the next 10 years: too high. Now, you can spend your OWN money preparing a living will, or risk getting tossed around like Terry Schaivo should your be unable to express your 'end-of-life' wishes when your time is up.

[hungry1968-16]

Who cares?

You're only talking about 5% of the population or less. They're so small in number, they barely even register.

It's like one of these crackpots that go in and shoot up a mall or a school, so everyone demonizes "guns". It's not the "guns" that are the problem - it's the extreme fringe element, that are very, very small in number, but manage to get all of the attention by "acting out".

The extremists that keep disrupting the town halls are no different - very small in number, but getting all of the attention.

[ubrew12]

You rightwingers have made it abundantly clear that you prefer the status quo over Obamacare, and especially over 'gasp' universal insurance via some kind of single-payer plan.

Just so you know: going to a universal single payer plan would save America about $1 trillion A YEAR on healthcare expenses (based on the cost of healthcare in the many countries who already use this solution relative to the American system).

You 'conservatives' not only voted repeatedly to bankrupt the Federal Government, by cutting your taxes but NOT your gov't services (ala Reagan/Bush's $11 trillion debt), but NOW you are saying you'd rather spend an EXTRA ONE TRILLION DOLLARS A YEAR for healthcare services that aren't rated better than anywhere else, and that FAIL to insure properly ONE-THIRD OF YOU!!!

You rightwing conservatives have fallen completely off the deep end.

[hangelle]

This man is a back-stabbing no-count. I hope the devil pulls his toes for eternity.

[homebuyer]

SCHEDULE Line 10-18 Government sets value of Doctor?s time, professional judgment, etc. Literally value of humans.

Pg 59: SEC. 163. ADMINISTRATIVE SIMPLIFICATIONHC Bill lines 21-24 Government will have DIRECT access to your BANK ACCOUNTS for electronic funds transfer. This means the government can go in and take your money right out of your bank account.

Pg 16: SEC. 102. PROTECTING THE CHOICE TO KEEP CURRENT COVERAGE. lines 3-26 of the HC Bill ? OUTLAWS PRIVATE INSURANCE by forbidding enrollment after HR 3022 is passed into law.

Just alittle of the con game that is going to be pulled on you..We actually read the bill..Has Obama..

Pg 145: SEC. 312. EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS EMPLOYEE AND DEPENDENT COVERAGE Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public option plan. NO CHOICE!!

[homebuyer]

THE GREAT HEALTH CARE CON GAME ... A BREAK DOWN HOW THE OBAMA GANG IS TRYING TO PLAY ONE OVER ON YOU..

HERE IS JUST FEW EXAMPLES OF WHAT OBAMA HAS IN STORE FOR YOU..

Pg 59: SEC. 163. ADMINISTRATIVE SIMPLIFICATION HC Bill lines 21-24 Government will have DIRECT access to your BANK ACCOUNTS for electronic funds transfer. This means the government can go in and take your money right out of your bank account.


PG 102: SEC. 205. OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT OF EXCHANGE-ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS AND EMPLOYERS IN EXCHANGE-PARTICIPATING HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN Lines 12-18 HC Bill ? Medicaid Eligible Individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. No choice!

pg 127: SEC. 225. PROVIDER PARTICIPATION Lines 1-16 HC Bill ? Doctors/ AMA ? The Government will tell YOU what you can make.

Pg 145: SEC. 312. EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS EMPLOYEE AND DEPENDENT COVERAGE Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public option plan. NO CHOICE!!


Pg 239: SEC. 1121. SUSTAINABLE GROWTH RATE REFORM Line 14-24 HC Bill Government will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor affected.

PG 489: SEC. 1308. COVERAGE OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST SERVICES AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR SERVICES The Government will cover Marriage and Family therapy. Which means they will insert Government into your marriage

Pg 354: SEC. 1177. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY OF SPECIAL NEEDS PLANS TO RESTRICT ENROLLMENT ? Government will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs people! OMG! My sister has Downs Syndrome!!!

Pg 298: SEC. 1151. REDUCING POTENTIALLY PREVENTABLE HOSPITAL READMISSIONS Lines 9-11 Doctors! Treat a patient during initial admission that results in a readmission? Government will penalize you


SCHEDULE Line 10-18 Government sets value of Doctor?s time, professional judgment, etc. Literally value of humans.

[zootsuithap]

lots of heat but little light being generated in this forum

[chonder2]

It's a sad situation when we have the Repub healthcare industry meatpuppets taking hostage the most vunerable people in America, the elderly.When Congress comes back in session I'll tell my Rep"WE DON'T NEGOCIATE WITH TERRORISTS"!!

[Joe_NY_15]

by chonder2 August 14, 2009 12:17 PM EDT

That's typical of you and this administration, suggesting that free assembly, and peaceful protests of American citizens is "Terrorism" in your Liberal Marxist world.....Don't dare question the all mighty, you are terrorists if you question the government takeover, you are terrorists if you dare to read and question the power grab of the left.

Are the Democrats in the Congress, who won't vote on the bill, also be considered "Terrorists" in your mind ?

You have the house and senate, pass the think yourselves....but do so, at your own peril (Nov.2010)....oh, wait, it's DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING for the bill, isn't it ??? I guess your own party are TERRORISTS !!!!!

[jxknowles]

Sad to say, most people will face this issue as their parent or spouse dies. I was with my neighbor's family in the hospital last night after he suffered cardiac arrest and will not come out of a coma.

People don't understand the provision. It was lame attempt by the GOP to torpedo all healthcare refom by singling out one idea they could use to fan the flames of ignorance. It was Johnny Isakson, a Republican, who wrote the end-of-life provision initially. Newt Gingrich supported it less than two months ago. I guess they are excluding Republican input into the bill. That's fine. If they want to fine tune next year, so be it.

[lagrangecitizen]

Palin has the answere, let the hunters shoot the old and sick from a helicopter, no counceling, no options and you need Alaskan oil for the chopper fuel. Should make all of her supporters happy. If she can only make it to the Whitehaouse.

[didserve]

Hang in there Repigs!

[lagrangecitizen]

had my mother had been told she were going to die before her breast cancer took her to final stages she could have gotten her affairs in order. she was only 50 and had not made her wishes clear. i know she would have updated her will made 15 yrs. prior. thanks prempro premarin. now our stepfather is enjoying my grandfather estate with a 25 yr. younger new wife.

[lagrangecitizen]

if end of life counciling was available for my grandmother she would have chosen not to have the operation that caused her to die painfully for a month. she could have been painfree until an anurism took her instantly. I have always regreted encouraging that surgery to her. it was the death of her.

[homebuyer]

Obama should bend over and stick his health care reform right up his zebra ass..

[jxknowles]

You must be a friend of Larry Craig and Rush. You Republicans and your bending over obsessions/fantasies. You truly are the party of deviant behavior.

[drsam8]

WHERE IS THE TRUTH--AND MORAL COURAGE SENATOR GRASSLEY AND REPUBLICANS?

The protest posters and their words say it loudly: some of the protesters have used racially-tinged words. Some have used expletives like "******." Others have called Obama ?Nazi? for attempting to keep his campaign promise and do the right thing. The irony of this situation is that whenever rightwing Republicans play the race card, they accuse others of being the ones playing the race card--like in Alice in Wonderland story: They can give words the meaning they choose irrespective of their accepted meaning. These people play like Neanderthals. They don't seem to care about moral implications and consequences. Although they often try to throw the bible at your face, they care little about truth. Their behavior contradicts the moral laws they preach. They behave like inhuman abstractions when they willfully promote hatred and misinformation and seem unconcerned about the common good and broad visions. And they can always count on some sectors of the corporate media to promote their divisive tactics. Princeton Professor Paul Krugman and New York Times columnist warned back in 2007 about Republican tactics of ?wild charges and fake scandals,? and how they are ?dutifully given credence by major media organizations that somehow can?t bring themselves to declare the accusations unequivocally false.? (See NYT, 14/08/09). Some media corporations have been actively complicit. Thus, CNN would run false advertisement by 60Plus but refuse one from MoveOn.org. That is scary indeed! Obama alone cannot bring about a post-racial America. Not with prominent Republicans and media hosts shouting hate!

[homebuyer]

What Obama is trying to pull

corporatism

the theory and practice of organizing society into ?corporations? subordinate to the state. According to corporatist theory, workers and employers would be organized into industrial and professional corporations serving as organs of political representation and controlling to a large extent the persons and activities within their jurisdiction. However, as the ?corporate state? was put into effect in fascist Italy between World Wars I and II, it reflected the will of the country?s dictator, Benito Mussolini, rather than the adjusted interests of economic groups.

[dmwj2]

Hey all you geriatric tea-baggers out there... WOO HOO! It's pay day, and I just dropped $125 into your SOCIAL Security/Medicare fund. Schedule your next colonoscopy, and have fun!

[hungry1968-16]

by aldon61 August 14, 2009 9:28 AM EDT
Grassley, You're a spineless idiot! Giving in to Wacko rumors doesn't impress your base one iota; if anything, the more informed voters will remember this when you're next up for re-election. Run Charlie, run.........you coward!






On the contrary: it DOES impress his "base".

But it also alienates the liberals, moderates, democrats, independents, handicapped, elderly, poor, middle class, under insured, and uninsured.

Since his "base" is only about 10% of the population, he's basically just sealed his own fate in the next election.

[aldon61]

Grassley, You're a spineless idiot! Giving in to Wacko rumors doesn't impress your base one iota; if anything, the more informed voters will remember this when you're next up for re-election. Run Charlie, run.........you coward!

[afmcalax]

The only people that could have misinterpreted it are the morons that bottom feed in the Republican Party and their Nazi-like propagandists on Faux News. That a well thought out provision to assist the elderly proactively plan for the care and decision making they may need as they become less able, is allowed to be lied about by the likes of Queen-Moron Sarah Palin and deleted from the legislation is a travesty. This country rejected the stupidity of the Republican Party in 2006 and 2008. We have to continue to fight their ignorance and bigotry every day. A victory for their stupidity demeans us all.