The American Spectator

Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.3.11 @ 6:44AM

I'm sure that very soon, part of the end of life planning required by the government, will also include seizing your assets to pay for the sessions, or if you're over 65, you don't need money any more anyway because the government knows best.

MoeBlotz| 1.3.11 @ 7:39AM

If our elected officials fail to act on our behalf,the second amendment to the US Constitution ensures that your prophecy will never come true. Beware and be armed.

logmank| 1.3.11 @ 7:22AM

Here's a fact: as long as the government is paying all or a major part of the cost of medical treatment, there is going to be "rationing" of health care services. In other words, look out granny and anyone else deemed by some government bureaucrat to be living (or about to live) a less than 100% productive life.

Derek Leaberry| 1.3.11 @ 11:20AM

You are absolutely correct. Due to limited funds, government will have to pick and choose where to apply health resources. If you are old and have lived an unhealthy life, you may very likely be on the short end when it comes to government medical care. In a sense, Sarah Palin's "death panels" are an inevitability. The overweight majority and the sickly have a rude awakening hurdling towards them.

Wayne | 1.3.11 @ 12:39PM

Unhealthy life? I don't think so. My mother is 91, lived a healthy life and has hardly needed medical care. She became a Tea Party member, though a life long Democrat because she has a president who doesn't think her life is valuable enough for a hip surgery - or other operation she may eventually need. Don't think being over-weight or sickly has anything to do with it.

Emma| 1.5.11 @ 1:58AM

The death panels are not Sarah Palin's.

They are barackobama's.

Sam Vaughn| 1.3.11 @ 5:35PM

Hmmm nice wrinkle ...ObamaCare provides shovel ready jobs -- seniors get to dig their own graves... killing two birds with one directive....

mark| 1.3.11 @ 7:23PM

well said

franieb| 1.3.11 @ 10:37PM

that's perfect! It should be the ObamaCare slogan.

Melvin| 1.3.11 @ 7:30AM

There is a certain amount of irony to all this. One minute the government is touting that American Seniors are living longer, through the marvels of modern medicine than they're predecessors did.
Then this administration is touting, that it is going to speed up the demise of American Seniors by denying the marvels of modern medicine, so the old grunts will die faster.
It is a rather odd conundrum is it not? I wonder if the government will use a study or keep track to see if todays Seniors through Obama Care will be dying off at a faster rate than they're predecessors did.

Wordmonger| 1.3.11 @ 7:41AM

Oy Melvin,you really meant "their" did you not?

Claire Solt| 1.4.11 @ 11:28AM

Most of this relies on an imaginary scarcity. They must create scarcity to make their theories work. Anyway, there may well be 30m peiople who cannot handle health insurance. That is why Bush proposed and Dems loved the idea of setting up 1,000 walk in clinics in poor areas. Many are too limited to deal with much red tape.

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.3.11 @ 7:59AM

Sarah said it all... "Death Panels"

Would you writers quit chewing your cud over it so we can stop it?
Thank you

Occam's Tool| 1.3.11 @ 5:01PM

Berwick is a pig. The rationing board in the UK is called NICE. My ass.

Louis Jenkins| 1.3.11 @ 8:55AM

Yes, Old Texican, Palin said "Death Panels." The Advance Directives, Do Not Resuscitate, or other forms can be filled out independently, and do not need a physician's prodding. It is truly dispicable that it is now law, and we need to prod our representatives to cull this from the Health Care Act. I have written both Senators and Representatives that this needs to be done, but we'll see what their reaction will be.

terry hagy| 1.4.11 @ 11:28AM

As a grandmom can someone explain to me what
OBAMA means by: "...those doctors that fulfill
OBAMA's wishes on the death panels : WILL BE
PAID!
What does this mean? Will they call up their
Democrat Senator and say: "...I JUST GOT
ANOTHER ONE TO SAY SHE'LL DIE QUICKLY
AND QUIETLY..." NOW SEND ME MY MONEY!

Claire Solt| 1.4.11 @ 11:31AM

Advance dire4ctives are legal docs thaqt should be prepared by one's lawyers who represent the individual's interests, not the government. Doctors are pledged to save lives and that is in conflict with this. Anyway, Sarah was not talking about these provisions. She noted the ideas of Dr Emanuel in the WH with his whole life rationing plan.

MikeD| 1.3.11 @ 8:56AM

Berwick should be the very first appointee to be grilled by the House. With dingy harry in there nothing will happen in the senate, which should be the plan for the next two years anyway. Grill the SOB mercilessly; making that p.o.s. read EVERY page of the healthcare monstrosity out loud and then answer questions on every sentence. Tie him up for 20 hours every day till he drops from exhaustion. Then, tell him he doesn't qualify for any treatment for anything. When he drops, grab the next czar in line and do it to him. Actually, there are more than 240 Republicans. That's good for keeping a dozen or so czars tied up in committee hearings full time.

Jack London| 1.3.11 @ 9:19AM

So let's get this straight: the motives of Berwick, Obama and many doctors concerned about end of life care are without doubt to kill people. That's what they are thinking.

St. Thor| 1.3.11 @ 10:14AM

Ya got that right, Jackie boy.

Occam's Tool| 1.3.11 @ 5:05PM

Dear Jack,

Unlike you, I am a Board Certified psychiatrist. Also, unlike you, I was a senior consultant in an NHS. The answer is yes---the plan is to underfund services. This will kill people. Berwick makes money from serving as a consultant to health care rationers. Like wheelchair repo men, what he does is morally despicable. Am I going too fast or do you follow.

Which of the several hundred examples of New Zealand denied care that I am aware of and that are atrocious under its NHS, modelled closely after (and staffed mostly by) UK trained MDs do you want me to talk about, with documentation. Do you have 10,000 hours? I have the knowledge, the first hand experience, and the documentation ready. Tell me when you want the data dump to start, if you will actually read it.

But first, ask Ken if I ever JOKE about such things.

Penny| 1.3.11 @ 5:59PM

@Occam's Tool - thank you for your comments here and on last week's piece about rationing. There's no substitution for real experience and anything we can do to keep the US at the top of the medical care ranks is worthwhile.

Jack London| 1.3.11 @ 6:30PM

And there are millions of people in the US who have been denied care over the years, and millions now live day by day unable to afford drugs and treatment they need, and many go bankrupt trying. In fact, many more than the entire population of New Zealand.

And I keep asking this: how will you fund Medicare to give every new treatment that comes along, regardless of effectiveness?

So far the only death panels we are seeing are like the GOP governor in Arizona denying transplants.

As for Ken, I take it you mean this guy who's working in New Zealand:

http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/ken-fabert

Impeach Don't Wait| 1.3.11 @ 7:03PM

"So far the only death panels we are seeing are like the GOP governor in Arizona denying transplants."

I don't know the details, but sounds to me like another good reason to find ways to cut health care loose from government! I'm not sayin' that's easy.

Impeach Don't Wait| 1.3.11 @ 6:45PM

"Why then is Berwick pushing now for annual advance directive discussions? First, the new regulation dovetails with the requirement that doctors use electronic health records to deliver advance directive materials to patients, annually."

The new regulation also dovetails nicely with the desired reduction in Medicare reimbursement, which should work nicely to entice cash-strapped medical facilities and practitioners to be diligent about nudging the elderly as far away from expensive treatments and life-prolonging measures as possible. Can anyone say "incentive"?

Am I being paranoid?...

Frisbee| 1.4.11 @ 9:44PM

This should not be a big surprise to you Jack. Getting rid of the "useless eaters" has been standard policy of utilitarians for centuries. It was energized by the philosophy of Nietzshe, and practiced by the Nazis. In its present form, it is most noticeable at Planned Parenthood, and in Obama's Berwick.

Steve A| 1.3.11 @ 10:10AM

No Jack. It's all about providing options. Just like Planned Parenthood.

Steve A| 1.3.11 @ 10:33AM

Jack, Hopefully, Obama can weed out the Dr.'s who unnecessarily amputate limbs for the $$ from these end of life consultations. I'm curious as to how he would trust them to give solid advice when there may be $$ on the line. Can you clarify for me??

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.3.11 @ 11:12AM

Steve A,
Heh, that was a good one. I told him and I told him and I told him: "Jack, sorry. We just can't fix stupid here."

Lois| 1.3.11 @ 11:15AM

The mandatory part of this directive is what disturbs me. I believe a person has the right to choose the timing of their departure based on their circumstances and the criteria they choose, the option to pull the plug should be available. Before you get all bent out of shape about that consider that a person faced with 6 months of agony at the hands of terminal cancer may feel differently than you and it's their life not yours. Everyone should have the right to choose for themselves while they are healthy and of sound mind and being able to discuss it with their doctor is comforting to me.

But this must be an option not a requirement, that is what America is about individual choice.

Wayne | 1.3.11 @ 12:35PM

But Lois the choices I want to make are alternatives to cut, burn and poison. I want to use medications that I know work, but are banned by the FDA (because they are controlled by the AMA). If the FDA decides that the treatment is "too risky", then I say, that is my concern since my only option is to die in 6 months anyway. Bring on the risks.

Claire Solt| 1.4.11 @ 11:37AM

The government actively prevents suicide under other conditions. People may have the right to choose, but they do not have a right to demand that docs violate their ethics.

Petronius| 1.3.11 @ 11:24AM

What's really important to these statist bastards is the overall number of seniors in urban areas who remember when the United States of America Was a Free Country. There are a lot of us walking around who can relate to the good old days when we were not forced to abide predators, perverts, and parasites in our midst, much less be taxed to penury to subsidize them. Now that we can't afford it any longer, I look forward to living that way again.

Richard Baker| 1.3.11 @ 12:16PM

Does Berwick hold the Kevorkian Chair at some Eastern University? This entire issue has little to do with money (the Con) but everything to do with telling others what to do. Liberty and Freedom are only reserved for those of such esteem as Berwick, don't you know?

Wayne | 1.3.11 @ 12:30PM

Well I have a couple of questions:
1. Am I now required to a yearly physical? - I certainly will not be seeing a doctor unless I absolutely have to, and any requirement like this infringes on my freedom to avoid doctors whenever I can.
2. I live in Oregon and is one option now Doctor assisted suicide (legal in Oregon).?

Ray| 1.3.11 @ 3:17PM

It's highly ironic that many of the same people in government who bemoan the actions of those "frauds" attempt to "scam" the elderly by talking them into signing a contract (usually monetary in nature) which is in opposition to their own best interests now wish to make it a federal law (or "policy," but what's the difference?) that doctors must, year after year, try to get the elderly to sign an agreement (those "living wills" we hear some much about theses day. You know, the ones that are supposedly in the best interest of invalids) that is definitely in opposition with their own best interest, that being the "interest" of survival itself!

Hay, liberals, when will you stop insisting that people let themselves die, for the "good" of "humanity" no less? That very concept is contradictory!

PattyMor| 1.3.11 @ 3:47PM

We have indeed stepped through Orwell's looking glass. Which of Obambi czars subscribes to the theorgy of "nudge". That is just what this annual death counselling sounds like. You will be pressured "for the good of the community" to die and save money. Not only are you saving on medicare, but also social security. its a two-fer.

But, note that Berwick and all the "planners' in congress all have private plans. What hypocrites!

Penny| 1.3.11 @ 6:03PM

Agree - the new Congress needs to attach an amendment to their repeal votes that requires all representatives, senators, federal and state employees to be covered by so-called Obamacare.

Nite| 1.3.11 @ 9:04PM

An unconfirmed Czar should NEVER have been allowed to assume control of Medicare and Medicaid. Berwick is SO radical that he could not be confirmed by the Senate. I would like to see the House pass a bill eliminating all Czars from being appointed by a President. Obama wants to kill off as many Seniors and handicapped people as possible. This applies to Seniors, other adults and children. People who the Obama administration feels have no worth or benefit to society. Therefore the appointment of Berwick, the Independent Medicare Advisory Board who reports to Obama instead of Congress, and Ezekiel Emmanuel, Doctor Death. Republicans need to take steps to take back our country. Hey, everyone who voted for Obama, how is his change working out?

Claire Solt| 1.4.11 @ 11:42AM

We will undoubtably see a rash of bankrupcies by poor seniors as they are denied Medicare Advantage plans and shifted into more expensive Medicare which has 80/20 coverageand many7 docs will not take.

Shirley| 1.4.11 @ 4:58AM

I am still amazed at the writers here seem to think Medicare is free. I worked for over 50 years before retiring. As far back as I can remember I paid into Medicare. I also work part-time to make ends meet since the recession. I am still paying into the system.
BUT wait, you say free? How about the $90 odd dollars that come out of my SS check to pay for Medicare, before I even have a choice as to whether I want it or not? Free, I think not!

Derek Leaberry| 1.4.11 @ 9:06AM

A fiscal nightmare is created when life-savings surgeries costing hundreds of thousands of dollars are not covered by the medicare taxes paid into the system ten, twenty, forty years ago. Multiply this by tens of millions and we have our fiscal nightmare. The fifty dollars a week Grandpa paid into the system in the Sixties and Seventies is outstripped by the triple bypass heart surgery he receives at 72. This is the heart of the problem.

Ken (Old Texican)| 1.4.11 @ 9:33AM

Derek,
...no it ain't. Check out a plain ole New York Life annuity...with annual contributions over 40 or fifty years.
If Medicare contributions had been invested in that plain vanilla annuity...the money would be there. Period paragraph.
The same with so-called Social Security. The government simply stole the money and the compound interest there.

Derek Leaberry| 1.4.11 @ 10:08AM

You are totally right about Social Security. The government has stolen from Social Security since about 1967. But having seen some astronomical hospital bills myself, I would still maintain that most Americans on Medicare today will end up taking more out of the system than put in and this includes things like assisted living and nursing homes. And, yes, you are correct that the government raiding Medicare has basically helped bankrupt the system.

Jack London| 1.4.11 @ 3:43PM

The heart of the problem is not about denying life saving surgeries. The problem is denying those that are not necessary. Eg:

'Doctors are implanting high-tech heart devices in thousands of people who probably do not need them, a new study finds. The procedures cost more than $35,000, involve surgery and anesthesia, and may unnecessarily harm some patients.'

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/health/05device.html

Note that docs on this story say:

'Both Dr. Al-Khatib and Dr. Kadish said the solution was better education for doctors. Neither wanted hospital panels, insurance companies or the government to be given the power to decide who should receive a defibrillator.'

But who is going to educate the doctors?

Claire Solt| 1.4.11 @ 11:47AM

You aare right. I really appreciated the thief of inflation when I saw the accounting. As a former employer I insist that employees disabuse themselves of the myth that they paid these taxes. The taxes are levied on employers and employees have no liabliity. I think a great reform would be to life such responsibilities off the backs of companies. Let the Feds collect their own taxes

shorething| 1.4.11 @ 12:20PM

for mostmof my adult life i thought i would die at 55 am 59 in 4 weeks. totally embrace dnr for myself but feel everyone should have the right to decide for themselves (without govment intruding)
the only thing i fear is a painful death if i,ve already passed over PLEASE don't bring me back

Werner Koch| 1.4.11 @ 4:00PM

WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN

Congress and the White House should stop wasting the people’s money, “cut as detailed herein” and use savings to improve quality of basic invested entitlements. Preserve the 2010 tax schedule with no inheritance taxes. Congress should improve basic Medicare. Vote opponents to this “out”. Citizens come first.
It is time the U.S. reduces its human rites and police activities for the World by lobbying the United Nations, NATO and Interpol to “take on more”. 800 bases in 63 countries across the world should be reduced. Examples are fewer forces in Bosnia, Philippines and Okinawa.
Starting with Iraq, only train for self reliance. After the surge in Afghanistan repeat above and diminish corruption by requiring for aid accounting practices, substituting minerals mining and food crops for drugs. Upon self reliance make all pay.
Cut bloated federal bureaucracy and phase in outsourcing. Combine CDC, EPA and FDA. Combine the FAA, NHTSA and Transportation Department. Combine GAO and CBO. Departments should eliminate “must spend all”. Return “unused” yearly budget to the treasury. Cut combined department budgets (other than entitlements) on an average of 10%.
Eliminate all 32 CZARS Mr. president. Reduce your 469 member staff which makes nearly 39 million per year! Halt first lady $180,000 air force one vacation trips. Stop “$200 million per day” presidential-family foreign trips. Cancel $ 20,000,000 executive order (HB 1388) to relocate key Hamas members to U.S.
Contribute to only one of: The World Bank or International Monetary Fund or U.S. Agency for International Development.
Reduce foreign aid bribery. For example, no aid to oil rich -Iraq. $37 billion and increasing with $8.7 billion of Iraq development funds not accounted for. Halt $150 million aid to Palestinians.
Charge bailed companies (TARP) for their huge executive bonuses at taxpayer expense. Government should sell shares to recoup for taxpayer. About $154 billion owed. Forget Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Congress should reduce “stimulus” and monetary expenditures by halting: over budget and vote bribery earmarks. Example: Stop “cow burp” study. Congress should rescind their 2009 increase and do not pay student loans for their staff. Please- no renting of private or military aircraft. An example was Pelosi’s family of $2.1 million for over 2 years. Congress should set commercial travel cost standards and controls.
Reduce medical cost by: allowing purchasing anywhere in U.S., “tort reform”, and reducing “red tape”. Trace government aid to local medical groups for expediting billing cost speed, doctor/patient verification and fraud reduction.
Federal government should enforce existing immigration laws. Complete the improved fence. Entitlements or benefits should be for only citizens. Deport criminal “illegals”. Only deportees and workers on Visa Programs qualify for needed medical benefits.
These actions will improve funding for:” Medicare”, “Medicaid, and “Veteran’s Affairs”. Corporations should be allowed tax reduction incentives for hiring with healthcare plan options.
Healthcare quality can be at least that for Congress or the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). Additional benefits are: dental coverage, improved visual coverage, no drug “donut hole”, no pre-existing conditions, no deductibles and co-pays except for extended skilled level nursing.
Other benefits are aid for unemployment compensation and Social Security with reinstated cost of living increases.

Linda Joy Adams| 1.4.11 @ 6:58PM

Wellness visits are important to diagnosis medical problems in early stages. As for end of life counselings, etc. Just pay the doctor to provide the literature and a phone number to call for more info. No discussions, please. once one is Medicare age, we are well aware of our mortality and 'preparation' is more than 'when and if to 'pull the plug.' One needs to review all facets of ones personal business, etc. A phone number or web site to log should be available, but it should include info on wills, living trusts, life estates, 401K, annuities, etc. and not just end of life decisions. All those things so many put off until the 'time has arrived.' Maybe it would be cheaper to just mail a packet and leave the doctors out of it except to ask, as many do now, do you have a living will or advance directive? And often hand out a form to take home with a brochure. I personally don't want my wishes input into a computer system that gets 'shared' with so many unknown entities and parties which is what is happening now with so much personal information. Just carry a letter or note of wishes or where to find it and let your immediate loved ones know where to find it, should the need for it occur. personally, I wish one could put next of kin info on ones drivers license to help the medical professionals know whom one wants contacted should a need for surgery, etc. occur. Having this stuck in some doctor's records who may be thousnads of miles away in case of an emergency isn't helpful. Linda Joy Adams

Widower| 1.4.11 @ 8:38PM

At her death bed, after a double-bipass operation, my wife had deeply worried the head of the intensive care unit whether to apply end-of-life saving means or let her go. Dr Orwell said "saving her is worst than death itself" He asked permmission from us to let her go when the time comes, not to apply any remidies to save her life. She had in intensive care for 2 weeks already and her signs were such that she had will to breath, making the care explosively expensive. At about 1:30 one night, a doctor called that my wife died. When I got to the hospital, the room was dark and cold. The head doctor was not anywhere in sight.

Christian Louboutin| 6.23.11 @ 5:43AM

But the inclusion of the advanced directive and end of life planning is not voluntary, only the patient's discussion is. Doctors are required to bring it up year after year.

Adidas| 8.11.11 @ 6:09AM

is good

العاب بنات| 4.10.12 @ 12:37PM

The government actively prevents suicide under other conditions. People may have the right to choose, but they do not have a right to demand that docs violate their ethics.