Terry Schiavo became overly politicized in my opinion. However, life matters. The current healthcare bill will ration healthcare to the elderly, in effect allowing them to die sooner. At least one House Bill includes taxpayer funded abortions as well. I disagree with both of these provisions. Those who are called “conservative” are often accused of caring for the unborn, but not caring for those who have been born. As one who is often called “conservative”, I find this latter accusation pure poppycock. I, personally, spend a lot of time, talent and treasure trying to ensure that all people have equal access to opportunity — caring for those who have been born so that they can share the blessings of liberty and the competitive market that is the American experiment. I know many so-called “conservatives” who work at least as hard as I do.
But back to Ms. Schiavo. In the current issue of the Economist (a subscription may be required) is a very disturbing story on the misdiagnosis of “vegitative state”. To quote:
…many people may be at risk of early termination even when they show flickering signs that their consciousness has not departed entirely.
In short, 13 years ago a study was conducted in London that “found that 40% of the patients in their hospital who had been diagnosed as being in a vegetative state, were not.” A new study finds that this 40% misdiagnosis still exists today. Of course, insurance companies benefit from a misdiagnosis and in some cases other family members benefit. I find this very disturbing. I wonder what the Pelosi healthcare bill will do for the most vulnerable of our citizens — those who can’t speak for themselves — those in a “minimally conscious state”.
Britain’s national health board has determined that a year of life is worth $35,000; if a life-saving drug or procedure would cost more than that, the British health care system can deny a patient that treatment.
What is the value of a life?
Mike Protack
The current healthcare bill will ration healthcare to the elderly
Link, please. Or something, anything, to back up your assertion.
And even if you can find something to back up your claim, is care rationed more or less than it is under the current system?
Minimally conscious state should be extended to include those who stand in the way of health care reform.
My neighbor Theodore, whose name means “gift of God,” turned three years old this past March. He has a twin brother Oliver.
It is a hard, hard, thing to see Theodore’s little face already bearing the marks of profound suffering. At age three, he has the look of the holy martyrs depicted in Eastern Orthodox icons.
Theodore looks the way he does because he has been tortured by horrible seizures since infancy; seizures so bad that at times he could well have been defined as “minimally conscious.”
Because of his illnesses and the medications needed to keep him alive, Theodore has severe developmental problems. He just learned to walk about six months ago. Although he knows what you are saying to him, he struggles mightily to respond, to get the right words out. We neighbors rejoiced when Theodore learned a toddler’s favorite word–“NO!”
Theodore’s parents adore him. His father once said to me that without superb medical intervention, Theodore probably would not have lived. He added that such was his love for Theodore that he would take Theodore alive under any conditions, even if the toddler were defined as a vegetable. “At least he’s still with us,” he said, hugging his son tightly.
Both of Theodore’s loving parents as well as his grandparents and caretakers have demonstrated enormous courage, compassion and patience toward him. They and all those close to Theodore demonstrate that suffering is not necessarily pointless.
For out of Theodore’s struggle to live, learn and grow has come a sort of heroism only those who deal with prolonged and intractable suffering display. Out of his enormous misfortune have come the virtues of kindness, longsuffering and a profound understanding of the value of human life.
But some would define Theodore and others like him as “minimally conscious”–a term capable of infinite expansion to include just about anyone needing critical care. They would deny him and others like him the heroic and expensive measures needed to keep him alive, much less to help him deal with his developmental disabilities.
One of those people, Peter Singer, teaches at Princeton University. He has suggested that infants, toddlers and the elderly who have disabilities be put down like dogs for their own sake and the betterment of society.
Singer writes: “If a human being is not capable of understanding the choice between life and death, euthanasia would be neither voluntary nor involuntary, but non-voluntary. Those unable to give consent would include incurably ill or severely disabled infants, and people who through accident, illness, or old age have permanently lost the capacity to understand the issue involved, without having previously requested or rejected euthanasia in these circumstances.”
Singer, arguably one of the most influential philosophers of our day, has argued that current attempts to reform US health care should include rationed care for the disabled, elderly and “minimally conscious.”
What would be Singer’s solution to Theodore’s health problems if the professor were in charge of US health reform?
We all know the answer.
Singer and those who feel certain lives are not worth living and thus not worth the expense associated with a universal, government run health care system would see to it that Theodore, if he even was permitted to see the light of day by being born, would not get the health care he needs. Theodore would not fit the bureaucratic measure of a life that deserves to be saved. He would be allowed to die or would be the victim of euthanasia, as is already the case in Holland, where death dealing doctors kill disabled infants with impunity.
Thank God Theodore’s parents and his doctors chose life for Theodore. That choice is still possible for now. But their choice may not be permissible or even possible if Singer type mentalities run a rationed US health care system anxious to rid society of those with “minimal consciousness.”
The mind set that would see the unfit–“unfit” as defined by a government bureaucracy deeming such lives as worthy of destruction–is a society that is itself ill.
For a society which fails to protect its weakest and most vulnerable from destruction is itself dying and on life support.
Fay Voshell
Fay, thanks for the heartwarming story. The reform movement is fighting for all the Theodores.
From one click on The Google “families denied life saving insurance companies”
Ricky, and I want to ask all of you for a huge favor. Our insurance company, PacifiCare, denied Nick to go to Kansas City for a special treatment of radiation for his cancer (this could save his life). Nick has suffered with cancer for 4 years of his life and he has exhausted every avenue to get better, but nothing worked. This is our last effort and this procedure has worked before with people in Nick’s situation. I think it is our duty to stand up for Nick and tell PacifiCare that what they are doing is wrong.
Kantor & Kantor, LLP, is appealing to the California Department of Insurance on behalf of Kimberly Shepard, a young wife and mother in danger of losing her life from the debilitating effects of Anorexia Nervosa because her health insurer United HealthCare Insurance Company declined her claim for benefits to pay for residential treatment. The appeal requests that the Department of Insurance order United Healthcare to reverse their denial of benefits. Earlier this month, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California denied Shepard’s temporary restraining order to enjoin United HealthCare from continuing to withhold benefits.
Tonight, Local 2 investigates why some insurance companies are refusing to pay for potentially life-saving medical treatments. Have you looked closely at your health insurance plan? Chances are, you wouldn’t notice the wording we’ve discovered that’s leaving patients and not the insurance companies stuck paying for treatment that might save their lives. Local 2 investigative reporter Amy Davis found it happening all over Texas. That’s the battle facing a veteran Houston firefighter, and we’ve found the same thing could happen to you. “You either fight them or you give up,” said Steve Jahnke, Houston Fire Department district chief.
Steve Jahnke is no stranger to fighting. For 35 years, he’s battled blazes as a Houston firefighter. It’s a long-standing family tradition. Now the district chief is battling something different but just as deadly — stage 4 skin cancer — melanoma. And it’s spreading. “They went in and they found I have it everywhere,” Jahnke said. But while Jahnke and his wife Renee battle the tumors growing through his body, they’re also fighting against a small clause in the city’s health insurance plan allowing the insurance company not to pay for potentially life-saving treatments. “Steve needs this chance — that opportunity to save his life,” said Renee Jahnke, his wife.
Louisville – Former Humana Medical Reviewer Dr. Linda Peeno was so disturbed by what she experienced working for the giant HMO – including denying a young patient’s heart transplant – that she went into medical ethics and is now a vocal advocate for a national health insurance program.
Fay, this is what the debate is all about. Theodore is one misstep away from being out in the cold. Let’s hope his parents don’t lose a job or get behind.
Bill:
Your story, Fay’s story, the research report that is the purpose of this post, Mike’s statistic on Britain’s health system (which I have published before and he is correct — you can find the link here) demonstrate why a government run system or an insurance industry bureaucrat run system does not work.
Only when you and your doctor are put back in control will you get the healthcare system that you need. HSA’s are the route there in my opinion. You pay for the routine stuff and have a high deductible, but once you hit that deductible, 100% coverage. Level tax treatment, appropriate regulations, etc. are still somewhat lacking (and I recognize that their is likely a devil in those details), but I’ve already met the devil when a bureaucrat runs the system, and it is called rationing.
As Hubert Humphrey once said: “…the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped. ” Where is a Democrat like Hubert Humphrey, today??? The current plan proposes to pay for abortions, end the lives of elderly early, and ration care to the handicapped. Shameful…
Charlie says,
Obama wants to ” . .end the lives of elderly early, and ration care to the handicapped. Shameful…”
Obama wants Grandma to die eh? Last time I vote for him.
Plus that thar Obama is not even a USA citizen. I demand we all stand and say the Pledge. This here whole reform thing is an outrage. Wall Street good. Obama bad. United Healthcare Incorporated good. Medicare bad.
100 million Americans have Government health insurance. Medicare, Medicaid, public employees. Way more Americans on Public than on Private. We are talking about a known, not an unknown.
Public works great. No rationing. No waiting. Our system is totally different than Britain, so why compare us to Britain? Compare us to Japan or Sweden or Canada or France. Our Public System has nothing to do with Britain.
The new American system will be hybrid: Government collects premiums, pays bills. Private sector provides services. I am really surprised more forward looking business people do not see the advantages efficiencies of doing single collector single payer. The paperwork red tape savings will be monumental.
Once you get back to your authentic American roots, embrace the concept of We The People, E Pluribus Unum, one for all, all for one, we can make some good old American progress.
If you want to hang out on the ash heap of history, sifting through the embers, go ahead. But spread desperate lies Public Insurance is aimed at killing the elderly, just to support dead ideas.
Somehow we got sucked into a selfish Me The Person philosophy. Being endowed by our Creator all confused with Wall Street profiteers and dog eat dog.
Charlie, HSA is okay but it’s for those who can afford to save money. That leaves out the majority of Americans. In many circumstances there needs to be somebody standing between you and and the medical industry. If Medicare did a better job of standing between patients and the medical profession all those thousands of people who got unnecessary heart bypass would have been spared.
A friend of mine made a small fortune selling unneeded medical equipment lift chairs adjustable beds mobile scooters all to people who did not need the stuff. All because of lack of oversight. Oversight has to be a core value in the system.
If there was nothing standing between us and the medical industry we would all be like Michael Jackson. I think we all know that physicians and surgeons are profit motivated in ways not dissimilar from plumbers and lawyers.
According to CNBC 12 out of the top 15 highest paying jobs in America are medical dental professionals. Great. But let’s not get carried away saying nothing should stand between us and them.
Correction “way more on public than private insurance”. Government is the largest single provider of health insurance in America.
Coma, Vegetative State, Minimally Conscious State: Pose Ethical Problems. Actually there is nothing for them with a neuorologest. They are only the cause of high expences, They need good care and physical therapies till some miracle happens.
First, Theodore certainly is not minimally-conscious by any standard. You can safely stow that canard in your overhead compartment.
Second, I suspect that the people that were labeled as being in a vegetative state were labeled by their doctors. Not by some bureaucrat with a spreadsheet.
Third, I wonder at what point Theodore’s parents will realize that they have run up against a lifetime benefit limit and not only will Theodore stop getting services covered, so will his parents. You see, services are already rationed. They are rationed by insurance companies, anxious to keep their margins high, their executive bonuses high and their investors happy. Rationing is a dirty little secret of healthcare. It happens every day. Some just want to pull it out, wave it around and say that “only government will have one of these!”
Perhaps you guys should shift the fight to actually influencing what is in the plan instead of stopping the plan altogether. The battle may already be lost, if these are the only tactics you have left.