Health Care Reform and Euthanasia

Have you heard that if health care reform passes the government will euthanize the elderly? Sarah Palin said that herself. But there is, of course, not truth to this. And if you don't want to take my word for it (since I'm a liberal Democrat), would you believe it if the answer came from a Republican Senator from the state of Georgia -- Johnny Isakson? In fact, it was Isakson who offered a similar amendment to the Senate bill as the one appearing in the House Bill.

All it does is offer the opportunity for people to visit with their doctors, with Medicare picking up the bill, to discuss such things as living wills and durable power of attorney, so that when they reach that point of time, nearing death, their wishes can be followed. In an interview with Ezra Klein, Isakson says he has no clue how this rumor got started, but there's simply no truth to it.

Consider these answers to the questions of whether this will set up so called death panels.

How did this become a question of euthanasia?

I have no idea. I understand -- and you have to check this out -- I just had a phone call where someone said Sarah Palin's web site had talked about the House bill having death panels on it where people would be euthanized. How someone could take an end of life directive or a living will as that is nuts. You're putting the authority in the individual rather than the government. I don't know how that got so mixed up.

You're saying that this is not a question of government. It's for individuals.

It empowers you to be able to make decisions at a difficult time rather than having the government making them for you.

You see, it's the individual making the decision, not the government. Again, I say, let's talk about these things!

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