EDITORIAL: PULLING THE PLUG ON GRANDMA

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By Leon Thompson

 

August 18, 2009 (Santee)--In town-halls across America and in the media, opponents of President Barack Obama’s heath care reform proposal (including ex-Alaska Governor Sara Palin) are spreading a rumor that senior citizens will be put to death for the sake of expediency. These concerns are completely unfounded. No less than the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)  the lobby for older Americans, confirms, “The rumors out there are flat-out lies.”

 

The House bill would provide Medicare coverage for optional consultations with doctors who advise patients on life-sustaining treatment as well as “end-of-life services,” including hospice care. The legislation instructs Medicare officials to propose ways to measure the quality of end-of-life care. Doctors would have financial incentives to report data on such care to the government. The goal is to enhance patients’ choices—not take them away.

 

To read for yourself the actual wording in the bill go to House bill 3200, section 1233, page 425.

 

“From allegations about rationing care to wild reports of government-sponsored euthanasia, the rumors just keep getting crazier,” AARP advises on its website.

 

This distortion, designed to play on fears and insecurities of older folks, is ugly and cruel. These fears are being fanned by health insurance interests who fear loss of hefty profits and by politicians who have pocketed enormous financial contributions from health industry lobbyists and insurance companies.

 

The truth is that the health care reform proposal will empower seniors to speak out on their own behalf at a time when they are coherent and in full control of their faculties. It is so important to know that your doctors will honor your wishes. Doctors appreciate the foreknowledge and the family is relieved of the burden of making end of life decisions at a time when emotions and circumstances make that very difficult.

 

For a more comprehensive analysis go to: http://capwiz.com/compassionandchoices/issues/alert/?alertid=13786016.

 

This writer has a personal experience that perfectly illustrates the positive effects of this part of the health care proposal. When my Suzy died on May 7th http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/?q=node/1130 she had an ‘Advanced Medical Directive’ in writing instructing doctors to not take “heroic medical procedures” to prolong her life when it was clear that she was dying. We would have done anything just to have Suzy with us one more day. But she made the right decision. Though there was little that could be done the heart wrenching end-of-life decisions were already made. The thought of living on artificial life support with tubes and machines keeping her alive was abhorrent to Suzy.

 

Instead the focus was for her to stay as coherent as possible with the least amount of pain. This highlights the second wise decision Suzy made – to have Hospice care. They are the experts in end-of-life care and I cannot say enough good things about San Diego Hospice. Suzy was surrounded by friends and family in those last days. She said her goodbyes to all of us individually and died peacefully in her sleep with her wonderfully loving daughter at her bedside.

 

It is very difficult to speak of these things and my hands are shaking as I write these words. But it was a loving gift from Suzy to settle these matters beforehand in such a dignified way. Even now the gift continues because Hospice care extends to survivors. To this day I am being helped through the most traumatic event of my life. Thanks to our great friends, thanks to Suzy’s wonderful family and most of all thanks to Suzy for her forethought, our memory of her will always be with love--not marred by the confusion and trauma that sometimes can color the death of a loved one.

 

Regardless of how you feel about the proposed health care reforms - any provision that helps families with end-of-life matters is a very good thing. I know this to be true. So the distortions about the intentions of section 1233 of the health care reform bill are vile, cruel and unsubstantiated.

 

 

The views in this editorial reflect the views of its author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine.  If you wish to submit an editorial for consideration, please contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.


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