Comment

GOP Health Care Speaker: A Birther

219
Gus9/09/2009 9:00:02 pm PDT

re: #211 Charles

The goal posts are infinitely moveable.

The frequent rationalization are not only mind boggling but obvious to the casual viewer. As far as the death panel meme it was part of Palin’s now famous Facebook entry in which she said:

The provision that President Obama refers to is Section 1233 of HR 3200, entitled “Advance Care Planning Consultation.” With all due respect, it’s misleading for the President to describe this section as an entirely voluntary provision that simply increases the information offered to Medicare recipients. The issue is the context in which that information is provided and the coercive effect these consultations will have in that context.

Section 1233 authorizes advanced care planning consultations for senior citizens on Medicare every five years, and more often “if there is a significant change in the health condition of the individual … or upon admission to a skilled nursing facility, a long-term care facility… or a hospice program.” During those consultations, practitioners must explain “the continuum of end-of-life services and supports available, including palliative care and hospice,” and the government benefits available to pay for such services.