[AmericanExceptionalist]

Although I prefer to avoid the term, "death panels"--it is unnecessarily inflammatory, in my opinion, and therefore probably not conducive to engendering serious discussion of the matter at hand--I do believe, without question, that healthcare rationing is coming under ObamaCare.

And this rationing will hit the elderly the hardest, due to its purely utilitarian nature: Those who, according to the actuarial tables, probably do not have that much time remaining anyway--even if they were in perfect health--will simply not be given aggressive treatment, when (less expensive) palliative care may be substituted for it.

[spokeshave]

In the UK the NHS calls it the "Liverpool Pathway"

That is; a short and painful dehydrated trip from ward to morgue.

[Carry_Okie]

And this rationing will hit the elderly the hardest, due to its purely utilitarian nature: Those who, according to the actuarial tables, probably do not have that much time remaining anyway--even if they were in perfect health--will simply not be given aggressive treatment, when (less expensive) palliative care may be substituted for it.

The number I have heard from people in the business (please don't ask for a source because I won't betray it) say that 70% of medical expenditures are on end-of-life treatments. Whether "premies" in the NICU or geriatrics, they lump them all together.

[9YearLurker]

If the public had been more inflamed, perhaps the GOP would have had one more senator—or one less Democrat senator would have voted for it—and Obamacare never would have passed.