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Those with no solutions and no answers for how to reform our health care system are hijacking positive, bipartisan efforts that have contributed to a strong bill passed out of two House committees. Republican leadership has abandoned all efforts at passing needed health care reform -- even turning their attacks to legislation that has been actively crafted and supported by both parties.
One of these outrageous examples is my Life Sustaining Treatment Preferences Act.
GOP leadership has been gravely distorting the truth and misrepresenting the facts about this bipartisan effort, and in the process throwing members of their own party under the bus -- those who have reached across the aisle to do something that will help Americans across the nation.
The bill simply provides people with better care as they grapple with the hardest health care issue of all -- their final chapter of life. See the Myths vs. Facts sheet on this. CNN reporter Elizabeth Landau does a great job highlighting the benefits of "doctors and family members having more conversations about end-of-life issues," which my bill addresses.
This bill has bipartisan support (the main cosponsor is a Republican doctor) as well as support from a diverse coalition like AARP, the American College of Physicians, and Catholic health systems. It is an area where -- no matter from a red or blue state -- many have been able to bridge the divide.
The bottom line: this is a smart and just thing to do for families going through a tough time. Who wouldn't want to know:
These outrageous distortions about "rationing end of life care" are not only personally infuriating, but their attempts to derail health reform endanger millions of people who live without insurance and desperately need access to affordable, high quality health care. As PolitiFact notes, these are "pants on fire" untruths.
We cannot waste any more time when it comes to reforming our broken health care system. While Republican leadership is determined to bring down reform and sink President Obama -- saying they want health care to be his "Waterloo" and "to break him" -- the cost of inaction is too high. If we do nothing, 45,000 people will lose their health care every week.
If we fail to act to reform our system, everyone will feel the consequences. Americans deserve the truth about what is in the health care reform bill, not scare tactics or misrepresentations. It is time to stop playing politics with people's lives.
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Who is the Republican co-sponsor?
My dad's was from Oregon, wish I could be there and have you for my Congressman. However I'm in NW Florida and stuck with Jeff Miller. Just went through "end of life" with my 92 year old father last November. I had moved home 3 years ago to care for him when it became obvious to all his children that he shouldn't be alone here anymore. He had a Living Will and "Do Not Resuscitate" order made up years ago and he made it clear to all of us that he wanted to die at home in his own bed. We had Hospice for him the last week when it was obvious he was getting close to passing. He kept making us promise we would not take him to a hospital because he wanted to die in his own bed. He went to bed after a good dinner one night and died the next evening without ever waking up again. It was the way he wanted it to be and all four of his children were at his bedside as he drew his last breath. It was so hard to let him go, but we thank God every day that he died in the comfort of his own bed, where he wanted to be, surrounded by his children who loved him dearly...a
Terri Schiavo was a good example for us all to have a living will.
Several years ago I worked in a hospital setting, (they had an Assisted Living wing) and I was setting up the residents' charts with color coded stickers denoting any special instructions.
I noticed a few of them did have POA's (power of attorney) and DNR's (do not resuscitate) in their charts, but those that didn't I brought to the attention of the Director of Nursing, my immediate supervisor. A chart is a legal record and it is customary to have any pertinent information in said record.
This facility was owned/administered by some Sisters (Catholics).
The DON told me not to worry about it, and when I looked at her, obviously perplexed.
This hospital was located in a rural community and the residents' primary doctors were on site, so it was not as if they were unavailable to see their patients and perhaps go over their wishes or at least broach the subject with patients family members.
I have a POA, Medical Directive/Living Will and I hope, (because before this I never imagined my wishes wouldn't be carried out) my choices will be respected.
Make sure your family/fri
Quality of life is important, not just a heartbeat.
I have had what is now called an advance directive since the day that I turned 18 (I have Systemic Lupus) and my doctor is VERY aware of my wishes should I be unable to speak for myself. I'm not going to change my mind. I made my mind up and I haven't changed it any... when my time comes LET ME DIE.
I DO have to ask though... WHEN are you going to make it ILLEGAL to force people onto life support against their wishes? LOOK at theTerri Shivio case if you NEED to see what can and does happen when people insist that life support be provided whether or not the PATIENT wants it. IME MOST medical "professionals" believe that their jobs hinge on keeping their patients "alive" as long as possible regardless of whether or not the resulting "life" is WORTH living or not.
It's probably already illegal, ... but.
Doing CPR on a patient who has clearly asked that it not be done is probably physical assault. But I don't think anyone has ever been prosecuted for it, and doing that would be an uphill battle. Arguing in defense of whoever did CPR would likely include assertions that the patient didn't anticipate the specific situation. Also, courts would be hesitant to second-guess a decision that has to be made almost instantly, that was presumably made by a professional.
Representative Blumenauer:
You need to go to the LA RAM event in August to further highlight our healthcare problem. Here is Wendell Potter's post:
http://www
Here is his PBS interview that speaks to our current system from this former CIGNA executive.
http://www
mr. rep earl writes about his outrage at those who oppose him with his, what? He ends with some nonsense about politicizing people's healthcare needs. The man needs to acknowledge what the rest of the world knows, that healthcare is a human right. He might want to simply state the obvious, that all Americans have a right to healthcare, and it's time for him, and his elected colleagues, the Congressional Clowns, to do what they were elected to do, provide Americans with their right to healthcare. The World Health Organization reports there are now 36 countries that provide superior healthcare to that provided by the United States. Those 36 countries all utilize some form of Single Payer access. We pay several times more for our healthcare than the 36 countries that are superior to us. What's mr rep earl want us to do? Vote for him? How utterly ridiculous!
It's "utterly ridiculous" that you mischaracterized Rep. Blumenauer's post. Obviously you know nothing about this great man...ther
Agree. We are closer to having health care reform than before and must have a law. No healthcare reform will damage the economy even more much to the delight of the repugs.
Agree. I heard one such CRAZY distortion about health reform pushing for suicide in a Fred Thompson interview with Betsy McCaughy (former NY LT Governor )as follows:
"On Page 425 of Obamas health care bill, the Federal Government will require EVERYONE who is on Social Security to undergo a counseling session every 5 years with the objective being that they will explain to them just how to end their own life earlier. Yes...They are going to push SUICIDE to cut medicare spending!"
http://fre
I actually read the text of the proposed bill and what's on this page going forward speaks to what your post discusses.
Thankfully, I'm smart enough to read and dismiss this crazy talk on these distortions.
What else would you expect but LIES and DISTORTIONS from Fred?... a poor actor and a poor human being....
This is linked, oddly enough, to the anti-choice thinking. Death is a natural part of life, and "respect for life" must include accepting death. Too often, however, people simply fear death and it is this fear, rather than genuine respect for life that drives them.
If Catholic health care organizations support this bill, you can guess that this will mean more people forced to fear death and be kept alive on life support
The article talks about forced suicides, well, what about forced sustenance re Terri Schiavo?
Thank you, thank you, Rep. Earl Blumenauer. You're not representing my district in Oregon (I live on the coast), but you're someone I would support, as I support the Life Sustaining Treatment Preferences Act you are sponsoring. My 82 year old much-loved husband is suffering from the mid-stages of "stroke syndrome", a severely mentally disabling illness, and there will come a point when I must answer those questions posed above for him -- and it will be difficult. I will accept any help I can get when the time comes.
My family recently experienced this sad and painful event. I am grateful for your article. Thank you so much for being so clear and thoughtful.
THANK YOU! As an ex hospice nurse I applaud your efforts to bring some rationality and compassion to the care of the dying. As an ex ICU nurse, I can testify to the horrible quality of life for patients and family who become ensnared in fee for service hospital care when there is no hope of improvement. This is abuse of our patients and our taxpayers and malpractice in the moral sense.
Yes, we nurses need to support people like this..
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