Isakson's little bon mot for "end of life counseling" had to be deliberate

[SoCalDem]

NOTHING IN POLITICS HAPPENS BY ACCIDENT.

I'd bet money that he pushed "really hard" to get this introduced/included, and of course his democratic "friends" probably thought.."Boy howdy, Ole Johnny's comin' around to our way of thinking..he's almost making sense".

No sooner than the ink was dry, Ole Johnny probably started phoning his pals to let them know about the "death panel" angle they could use. He probably did not expect to be NAMED as a co-sponsor of the idea, though.

Now that he's been outed, he's denying it..like any republican who has been found out.

[ejpoeta]

1. It's a good idea though. Imagine being the children of a man who goes into the hospital

the kids thinking he had a stroke or something maybe... and he ends up with aggressive cancer. He is not lucid enough to make decisions for himself, and he hasn't told anyone what he wants.... so the kids are left to make those decisions for him... wanting to do what he would want, but it is enough just to get him to understand what is going on. I guess we were lucky that at least he had assigned two of my sisters health proxies.. or else it might have been worse. We had a heck of a time just trying to get his bills paid and stuff... and this came on fast. My dad was fairly healthy... though he had been in and out of the hospital several times in the past couple of years, they would give a prescription and send him home. Then, we had to decide to send him to the hospice room because that three month diagnosis went out the window fast... he didn't last two weeks... and then we got to go to the funeral home the same day we watched our father take his last breath and make arrangements... not really knowing what he would want...

so yes, let's turn a good idea to help people make arrangements for if they are in a situation where they can't make those decisions at the time they need to.... and instead of making someone who is having a hard enough time as it is just dealing with losing their loved one have to make those decisions. And i am referring to these nuts out there turning something that is a good idea into euthanasia. it makes me sick to see what these people are doing. to themselves as well as to the rest of us. and you want to say to them the next time they complain about their insurance or how much their meds cost... oh well.... YOU chose that.. that's what YOU wanted. so suck it up and STFU.

[SoCalDem]

2. The thing is though, Doctors have ALWAYS "counseled" their patients & families

and to my knowledge, NONE of them have "charged an extra fee" for it.In hospitals & nursing homes all over the country, doctors making rounds are "counseling" families, as a normal course of their day..

It's a good idea to include in medicare coverage, but at this particular time, with all the contentious "compromising", it's just another "nugget" to be blown up into a big ole issue.

"Kill Granny" is a much "better" sound-byte for the right, than "well-advised, compensated end-of-life counseling".... and republicans know how to "turn a phrase"..

[ejpoeta]

3. i agree. you are right. and they sure do know how to get something into

a nice little catchphrase and people don't actually have to use their brains either.

[SharonAnn]

4. Doctors used to do that, but now some are strictly limiting their time.

My G.P.'s office asks me, when I call, what I want to see the doctor about so that they can schedule the appropriate amount of time. I really appreciate that because it allows her to stay on schedule and I can count on my issues being addressed and not having to come back for another visit to "finish up".

Two months ago I called her office and told them I wanted to talk to her about my situation dealing with husband who has cancer that is probably terminal. They scheduled extra time for me and I had to opportunity to bring her up to date with our situation, what I was currently doing/not doing, and what effects this was having on me. I was able ti discuss some options, including prescription sleeping aids, able to ask her about support groups, her experience with patients dealing with this, etc. I left feeling much better, knowing some things to do and some a sleep aid prescription if I wanted to use it, and knowing that I can check back in with her if I need/want to as this proceeds.

She had to bill my insurance company for an extended office visit and diagnosis. It was more expensive than a standard, short visit where I might've come in with a sinus infection and needed a quick exam and an RX for antibiotics.

So, yes, I think that the time it takes to counsel a patient and/or their family will require specific compensation in the future because of the amount of time it takes.

[SoCalDem]

6. What bothers me about this is the fact that I can see many doctors

handing out literature, instead of really counseling, especially since a lot of people are concerned about legal stuff, and doctors will surely recoil form giving legal advice.

[Wednesdays]

5. K&R

:kick:

[SoCalDem]

7. Love the cartoon.

:)