Experts Debunk Health Care Reform Bill's 'Death Panel' Rule

Aug. 11, 2009— -- Accusations that the health care reform bill now pending in the House of Representatives would use "death panels" to deny care to sick seniors and children with birth defects have taken center stage in the health care debate, giving the Obama administration even more of an uphill climb in getting the measures enacted into law.

But health care experts – even those who do not support the version of the health care reform bill now being discussed – note that these accusations are shocking, inflammatory and incorrect.

At issue is a 10-page section of a 1,000-page House health care reform bill on "advanced care planning consultations." These consultations would reimburse a doctor for talking with a patient once every five years about what kind of care they want near the end of life.

The provisions spurred conservatives, including former New York Lt. Governor Betsy McCaughey, a Republican and now a conservative commentator, to charge that these consultations would ration health care for elderly and "tell them [seniors] how to end their life sooner, how to decline nutrition, how to decline being hydrated, how to go into hospice care."

That led to shouts of "This is euthanasia!" from angry citizens at health care town halls all across the nation hosted by members of the House or Representatives. One person said, "Adolf Hitler called his program the 'Final Solution.' What will we call ours?"

In fact, doctors and supporters say, the intent of the measure is not for doctors to tell patients what to do, but to give doctors more incentives to talk to patients about all of their options.