Changes

The "death panel" claims were often couched in phrases such as "killing off the elderly".

The "death panel" claims were often couched in phrases such as "killing off the elderly".

The issue seems to arise from the belief that, under [[Obamacare]], doctors are required to discuss end-of-life options with elderly patients, perhaps encouraging them to end their lives.  The claim, by [[Betsy Mccaughey]] on a radio talk show in July, 2009, was that "Congress would make it mandatory ... That every five years, people in [[medicare]] have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner, how to decline [[nutrition]]."  What actually happened was that doctors would be compensated for giving advice, to patients that request it, about end-of-life planning.

The issue arose from the belief that, under [[Obamacare]], doctors are required to discuss end-of-life options with elderly patients, perhaps encouraging them to end their lives.  The claim, by [[Betsy McCaughey]] on a radio talk show in July, 2009, was that "Congress would make it mandatory ... That every five years, people in [[medicare]] have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner, how to decline [[nutrition]]."  What actually happened was that doctors would be compensated for giving advice, to patients that request it, about end-of-life planning.

End-of-life planning, such as "living wills" and "do not resuscitate" (DNR) directives, has been around for a long time.  The issue is whether doctors are compensated for these discussions.  A huge amount of the "red tape" that drives medical decisions revolves around what actions are compensated for by insurance.  The practice of medicine is largely driven by these policies.  Regrettably, the amount of such red tape has been increasing, both before [[Obamacare]] and since.  There are policies governing what kinds of surgeries insurance will pay for, and how long a hospital stay will be compensated, and so on.  Only by going to completely privately funded healthcare, free of any kind of insurance, can one completely get around this.  Almost no one does this.

End-of-life planning, such as "living wills" and "do not resuscitate" (DNR) directives, has been around for a long time.  The issue is whether doctors are compensated for these discussions.  A huge amount of the "red tape" that drives medical decisions revolves around what actions are compensated for by insurance.  The practice of medicine is largely driven by these policies.  Regrettably, the amount of such red tape has been increasing, both before [[Obamacare]] and since.  There are policies governing what kinds of surgeries insurance will pay for, and how long a hospital stay will be compensated, and so on.  Only by going to completely privately funded healthcare, free of any kind of insurance, can one completely get around this.  Almost no one does this.

A history of the debate may be found here.<ref>"WHAT IS AN OBAMA DEATH PANEL?" Obama Death Panel 2009. N.p., 2009. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <http://www.obamadeathpanel2009.com/>.</ref>

A history of the debate may be found here.<ref>"WHAT IS AN OBAMA DEATH PANEL?" Obama Death Panel 2009. N.p., 2009. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <http://www.obamadeathpanel2009.com/>.</ref>

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{reflist|1}}

[[Category:Conspiracies‏‎]]

[[Category:Conspiracies‏‎]]