WASHINGTON — When a proposal to encourage end-of-life planning touched off a political storm over "death panels," Democrats dropped it from legislation to overhaul the health care system. But the Obama administration will achieve the same goal by regulation, starting Jan. 1.
Under the new policy, outlined in a Medicare regulation, the government will pay doctors who advise patients on options for end-of-life care, which may include advance directives to forgo aggressive life-sustaining treatment.
Sarah Palin, the oracle of refudiation, coined the term "death panels" claiming the government takeover (Voted "The Lie of 2010") was going to decide who would receive treatment to continue to live.
First used in a 2009 speech by US politican Sarah Palin: "My parents or my baby with Down syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's death panel so his bureaucrats can decide ... whether they are worthy of healthcare".
"Death panels", as incredibly stupid as it sounds, sounded pretty sane to those who listen to Palin or who wasted too many brain cells at a GED graduation bong party. Unfortunately these same folks had enough brain cells left to come vote last November.
The final version of the health care legislation, signed into law by President Barack Obama in March, authorized Medicare coverage of yearly physical examinations, or wellness visits. The new rule says Medicare will cover "voluntary advance care planning," to discuss end-of-life treatment, as part of the annual visit.
Who could possibly be against that? Wellness visits are just plain common sense. Most insurance companies cover these at a very low cost. And for anyone who had to deal with end-of-life treatment knows how valuable this service can be. Unfortunately there are more idiots in this country that regular people and will probably think this means the government is going to take control of your bodily functions as you drive down the street listening to Michael Berry.
Idiots.
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