[M. Dodge Thomas]

$30,000 a year is an extremely optimistic estimate of the cost of home care for an adult in a PVS. Such individuals need much more than a feeding tube, they are subject to a wide variety of problems, which is why even with excellent care their 5 year survival rate is less than 10%.

"The costs of caring for patients in a persistent vegetative state are difficult to estimate. The cost of hospital care for the first three months is estimated to be $149,200. The estimated cost of long-term care in a skilled nursing facility ranges from approximately $350 per day ($126,000 per year) to approximately $500 per day ($180,000 per year)124. For children in a persistent vegetative state, the estimated annual cost of care at home is $129,000 (±$51,000) for the first year and $97,000 for subsequent years..."

And this does not count the ecconomic costs of removing adult family members from the labor force to act as unpaid caregivers, which is often considerate - and not only in terms of immediate lost wages but in terms of future earnings, contributions to SS and retirement savings and the like.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/1366161/posts

[dschapin]

I imagine that the permanently disabled are a drain on our economy too. Do you want us to kill them too Herr Hitler. /s

[mbj]

I'm curious: exactly how much money is your life worth, Mr. Thomas?

I'm not enthusiastic about drug abusers being rewarded, but in my view this is at least partly about her father's choice. I thank my God that none of my children have gone down that path, but should it ever happen does that negate my right to care for them and to make choices about their care?

I support our troops, but in this country we really don't have to make a choice between the two: we can afford both - especially if we were to divert money from state-subsidized abortions and other iniquity.

[wagglebee]

You seem to have missed the point. A person with a feeding tube DOES NOT need to be in a nursing home. Lauren is able to sit up, she IS NOT bedridden.

Additonally, the $149K for the “first three months” has ALREADY been spent.

However, the FACT remains that YOU are attempting to create an issue that DOES NOT EXIST. There has been no indication from either of Lauren’s parents that finances are a concern. There is no indication that she has received a penny of taxpayer money. So, why do you continue this line of reasoning. It seems, and I hope I’m wrong, that your attitude is that the moment ANY person reaches a point in life where the cost to keep them alive exceeds some arbitrary threshold they should be killed. This policy has been tried before, and the outcome horrified the entire civilized world.