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Senate Finance Committee drops end-of-life provisions from draft reform bill.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Senate Finance Committee has decided to scrap the part of its healthcare bill that in recent days has given rise to fears of government ‘death panels,’ with one lawmaker suggesting the proposal was just too confusing.
CQ HealthBeat reports that on Thursday, Finance Committee member Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) said that the committee dropped consideration of end-of-life provisions similar to those that have prompted claims by opponents that the House health overhaul bill authorizes so-called ‘death panels. The panel, according to Sen. Grassley has been trying to avoid ‘unintended consequences’ by working methodically through the consequences of policy options. The end-of-life provisions were dropped entirely because of the way they could be misinterpreted and implemented incorrectly, Grassley said, adding, “Maybe others can defend a bill like the Pelosi bill that leaves major issues open to interpretation but I can’t.”
The Boston Globe adds that the language is still in the House legislation, which would permit Medicare to pay doctors for voluntary counseling sessions on end-of-life issues, including living wills, making a close relative or friend a healthcare proxy, hospice care, and information about medications for chronic pain. According to the Globe, the issue illustrates the intense passions in the healthcare debate. The phrase ‘death panels” proved to be a volatile buzzword, and it quickly caught on in talk radio, cable television, and at town hall meetings conducted by members of Congress on summer recess.
Town Hall Protests Seen as Not Derailing Health Reform
CQ Today reports that town hall protests, while loud and angry, have not had their desired effect: to derail President Obama’s health insurance overhaul effort. In DC, staff meetings on the bills continue and Democratic leaders are mounting an effort to help their rank-and-file members counter criticism of the legislation, especially any erroneous claims. However, if the protests are sustained and proponents of the overhaul do not respond with more robust demonstrations of support, some are concerned Democrats eventually will scale back their legislation. In what CQ calls a worst-case scenario for liberals, Democrats could be forced to drop plans to create a government-run insurance plan that would compete with private plans, the so-called ‘public option.’
