[calex59]

Congressional supporters of the new policy, though pleased, have kept quiet. They fear provoking another furor like the one in 2009 when Republicans seized on the idea of end-of-life counseling to argue that the Democrats’ bill would allow the government to cut off care for the critically ill.

Just what else do these idiots think "end of life planning" means?

[ClearCase_guy]

The elitists know what the plan is (and are confident that they will not be included in it). But the sheeple are ignorant. The reporting on this has been deliberately misleading from Day One.

I think a lot of people picture a Death Panel as a row of doctors at a table discussing Mary Smith, age 58, and deciding to give her an enormous shot of morphine rather than pay for her dialysis. The Sheeple say "That would never happen!" And they are right -- but no one says that's what a Death Panel is like. Death Panels are a lot more subtle than that. Doesn't make them less deadly.

[Hoodat]

Just what else do these idiots think "end of life planning" means?

They know exactly what it means. They are just hoping you don't. More importantly here, see how the Executive Branch sidesteps the Legislative Branch in paying out money that Congress has not appropriated.

[RobbyS]

This is how Bismarck governed Germany after the Liberals took control of the Reichstag. “Father knows bes,”of course.

[newzjunkey]

I have done my own health care directive as did my parents before me. I, for one, do not want to be the next Terri Schaivo. It was not a big deal but I didn't have gov't pushing me into it.

Such planning does help the decision makers when the time comes but gov't doesn't need to get involved.

When a heart stops beating for the last time after a long term illness and you know that individual did not want extraordinary measures taken you know he can finally rest in peace and be with God.

Anyone can do a health directive today.

Should Medicare and doctors be pushing this decision-making onto patients? No. At most patients should be made aware these legal documents are available to them.

In the piece, I cringed at the quote from Dr. Donald M. Berwick, "In economic terms, it is waste," regarding "unwanted" care.

It's clear they want to push the unwashed masses towards forgoing "extraordinary measures" like surgery, a respirator or CPR while they will run off to have their brains operated upon to eek out a few extra months in power like Ted Kennedy. Some animals will be more equal than others.

[Sun]

“Just what else do these idiots think “end of life planning” means?”

It reminds me of when they call abortion “choice.”