CLARIFYING HEALTH CARE REFORM ISSUES

FIRST ISSUE: “What is this Death Squad Garbage?”

My first blog was in defense of managed care (see below). Now I need to defend a Public Policy option and the need to have a liberal and more cost effective health plan for every American. I will start off by dismissing and clarifying this ‘death squad’ issue that is utterly ridiculous and an out and out scare tactic.

There is so much misinformation coming from the ‘money grubbers’ out there and a lot of right wingers. There is no such bill or even suggestion of a ‘death squad’ coming to anyone’s home and deciding your mortal fate. The section in this bill, which was put into Medicare initially by a Republican years ago, refers to paying for consultation for those who would like to have more information about ‘end of life’ issues.

Having to deal with this issue on a regular basis with clients, let me inform you straight up, this is such an important issue that everyone should know about their options when they are young and in good health. What does it mean? It does NOT mean that anyone is going to put you to terminal sleep (even if they think you deserve it).
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It DOES mean you have the right to discuss and plan for yourself in the event that something unexpected happens to you. What if you end up in a coma with tubes attached, you have no quality of life and your care costs your family their entire savings. This happens way too often, unfortunately. What do you want done? You are not able to speak for yourself at this time. So, someone will speak for you – it could be someone you hate or never trusted. But, because YOU have never had any counseling on end of life type issues, and YOU have never planned for this while alive and kicking, YOU have now relinquished your right to determine how you want to be taken care of.

Do you want to be kept alive by all means possible? Do you not want extraordinary measures taken? Who will your medical advocate be? Do you have a living will? An ‘advanced directive’?

If you do not have the answers or the documents that answer these questions, then you would/could benefit by sitting down for free with a consultant who can inform you of options and help you determine how you want your life to be. I have an advanced directive. No death squad came to my door forcing this on me. In fact, I had to pay an attorney to draft one up.

So, now that everyone is screaming and believing Sarah Palin’s out and out fabrications, this will be removed and YOU get to pay for any consultation on this issue. Good for you- you get to support lawyers. Doesn’t that make you a proud American?

Next blog – coming soon – will be on explaining what will happen if no Public Policy Option is passed.