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"Death Panels"

By on February 25, 2010 5:24:55 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

 

Keith Olberman's father is hospitalized and was at times suffering so much that he begged for death.

In such cases, hospitals offer counseling interviews on what the options are and how to possibly proceed. The GOP vehemently opposed the very idea that insurance companies should pay for these counseling talks. Also, these counsels inspired the political fiction of "Death Panels".

Olberman now experienced first hand what being denied these talks can mean.

+59 Karma | 19 Replies
February 25, 2010 5:42:52 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

as long as end of life counseling is 100% voluntary, then sure I would pay for it as part of an insurance plan.

February 25, 2010 5:53:06 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

by voluntary I mean voluntary by the old person or the old person's family (in cases where gramps is a vegetable).

February 25, 2010 6:05:34 PM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

Didn't know people still watched Olby.  Anyways, the panels are far from fiction and I don't thnk you quite understand what the GOP is opposed to.

February 25, 2010 6:09:09 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

I'm just waiting for someone to say 'like the British NHS death panels'.  They don't exist.  No.  They really don't.  Honest.

February 25, 2010 6:24:23 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums

If I remember correctly, the "Death Panel" thing was created by the queen of political idiots: Sarah Palin.

Can't stand that bitch...

February 25, 2010 6:59:14 PM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser Forums

I just happened to see that video on another site. Regretably, I know full well the kind of choice that people face at the end of their lives. Some folks are lucky and pretty much live their lives out in their own homes and quickly die without too much pain. Even in this case it's hard to say "not too much pain" because even though it may only be a couple of weeks of suffering there is no denying that there is suffering involved. With enough narcotics it can be tolerable but even in that case it's not the pain so much as the loss of dignity and privacy.

On the other side of the scale instead of two weeks in hospice with a morphine drip my wife's father suffered for at least 3 years before mercifully he was allowed to die. He suffered through 2 hip replacement operations at the age of 92 and 93 and neither ever healed. He struggled so much to avoid a wheelchair and used a walker for the longest time. I was constantly reminded of the movie "They Shoot Horses Don't They". In my mind he was the strongest person that I've ever met but even he eventually had to relent and use a wheelchair.

There were a number of almost comical errors, or they would be comical if not so pathetic. He had a DNR (do not resuscitate) order in place but apparently it had been filled out incorrectly and so they had to revive him and give him a transfusion to save his life. Eventually as with all things it came to an end, but I really have no desire to go out that way. That's why I'm determined to retire to someplace where doctor assisted suicide is legal.

Perhaps you folks simply aren't old enough to have seen the like and had to face your own mortality but death itself is not the least bit frightening, it's the potential suffering that you'll have to go through to get there that has me concerned. I just want some control and say in the matter and have the ability to determine for myself when enough is enough. It's very easy to say that you'd just put a bullet through your own head, it's a far different thing to actually have the strength to do it and those that think they will be able to face it easily all I can say is I hope you are right but you *really* won't know until you're faced with the reality of it.

February 25, 2010 7:01:30 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

They have them in Texas.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/HS/htm/HS.166.htm#166.046

Under section E after the committee reach the decision they can prevent treatment. And they are not held criminally responsible.

A person does not commit an offense under Section 22.08, Penal Code, by withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from a qualified patient in accordance with this subchapter.

Of course that was signed in by that George W Bush guys so you know how much weight does it carry. But quite frankly they have panels for respirators, organ transplants, and various other life saving procedure in nearly all industralized countries that determine who will live and who will die. A panel by any other name leaves you equally dead.

February 25, 2010 7:29:20 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

i do think assisted suicide should be legal as long as it is completely voluntary and it can be shown you are of sound enough mind to make that decision.  If not, then it should be up to the family.  Government should not be in the decision.

February 25, 2010 7:31:58 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Insane.

 

Insurance companies don't have to pay for a doctor to inform patients and family of all the possible options?!?!?

 

Healthcare. Made of two words, health and care. Its not Healthdon'tcare.

 

After reading other posts showing how much money the "GOP" members gets from insurance companies I can't beleive anyone believes those members have a shred of integrity.

 

GOP Epic fail.....

February 25, 2010 7:37:42 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

michaelcook, both republicans and democrats are corrupt beyond recognition.  The dems take plenty of handouts too.

February 25, 2010 7:55:32 PM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

The entire healthcare debate is a giant misinformationfest. 

Republicans say there are death panels that will decide if you live or die.

Democrats don't tell the truth about the actual plan. Universal healthcare is not free. You still have to pay a reasonable amount for your government health care. Those who can barely afford health care now WILL NOT be able to afford it once the risky sick people who previously couldn't get health care due to pre-existing conditions are added to the pool. Premiums will go up, and taxes will go up to pay for setting everything up.

February 25, 2010 8:03:56 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

I guess we're just going to have to bite the bullet and choose death or taxes. I know which way I'm going to go. Natural selection should (hopefully) deal with the rest.

February 25, 2010 8:18:30 PM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser Forums

I believe we should neither prolong nor hasten dying. I simply want to be kept alive (food and hydration) until Almighty God reserves His right to call me from this life.....in other words, natural death.

 

 

February 26, 2010 8:25:21 AM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser Forums

Olbermann?  you mean that Sadistic, Narcissistic, Misogynistic, Plagarising, Hypocritical, Lying, Immoral guy?  What a source!

February 26, 2010 8:32:01 AM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums

After reading other posts showing how much money the "GOP" members gets from insurance companies I can't beleive anyone believes those members have a shred of integrity.

Do you realize this so-called healthcare reform was created with backrooms deals with "Big Pharm" companies and the like?  Ya know, from this "transparent" administration.

February 26, 2010 9:27:08 AM from Demigod Forums Demigod Forums

Quoting Island Dog,
Anyways, the panels are far from fiction and I don't thnk you quite understand what the GOP is opposed to.

I bet Island Dog also believes in Santa and the tooth fairies.

February 26, 2010 10:56:31 AM from JoeUser Forums JoeUser Forums

Quoting Island Dog,

Do you realize this so-called healthcare reform was created with backrooms deals with "Big Pharm" companies and the like?  Ya know, from this "transparent" administration.

And they did contribute more to Obama than to McCain.  People always mistakenly believe that BB is republican.  No, BB is pro power.  Whoever has it, gets their money.

February 26, 2010 6:17:23 PM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Quoting Island Dog,

Do you realize this so-called healthcare reform was created with backrooms deals with "Big Pharm" companies and the like?  Ya know, from this "transparent" administration.

 

I can understand. Here in Aus we are still part of the British Commonwealth and there was a referendum to decide if we would become truely independant. The referendum was for only one type of independant government and it basically gave an elite group of politicians the total power to decide who would be the President, it was a totally bogus plan. Thankfully we are still in the Commonwealth, not because people like the monarchy but because the system we were asked to vote for sucked.

 

However, this is a very different situation. Its not like healthcare in the US couldn't evolve after changes made now and changes do need to be made. Obama will only last max two terms, the Democrats max 3-4 terms and then its more Republican years. Healthcare will never happen under them, they take too much money from the insurance companies.

 

You have the most progressive government in years in terms of changing healthcare, if they are making backroom deals (I can believe it due to the power of these companies, but also I would need to see the info and if the info is comming from the GOP I'd be thinking "Immense hypocrisy, utterly huge gigantic enormous hypocrisy") then perhaps you should take what you can get. Obama is a diplomat, he will try and engage all significant parties, and the big companies are significant players. Which is extremely sad for the US.

 

If your holding out for "all or nothing" then you will be getting nothing, for years to come.

February 28, 2010 11:17:12 AM from Elemental Forums Elemental Forums

Quoting MichaelCook,
If your holding out for "all or nothing" then you will be getting nothing, for years to come.

 

Having read a few of Island Dog's more political comments, I'm pretty sure he's holding out for "nothing or nothing".

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