Death Panels? They Have Been Around A Long Time

It was unfortunate that Sarah Palin and her compatriots would attempt to skew a humanitarian provision in the proposed healthcare bill into something sinister. The horrible reality, however, is that Death Panels aren’t the ghosts of healthcare’s future – they have been with us for years.

No, they are not medical providers being asked to help terminal patients deal with their impending deaths. They are Cigna, the insurance company who told a 17 year old girl and her parents that they weren’t paying for her liver transplant. Cigna reconsidered, but not soon enough to save her life. They are Blue Shield, the California carrier that decided, at the last minute, that a single mother’s treatment for breast cancer that had spread to her brain was not covered, even though recommended by her doctors. Blue Shields’ response is telling:

“Blue Shield makes medical necessity decisions based on what is the most appropriate safe and effective treatment. To do that, we rely on the best evidence-based medical research available and the clinical opinion of medical experts. While we approve of gamma knife surgery when appropriate, in this case, the most appropriate treatment is whole brain radiation therapy, which we would approve for medical necessity if requested.”

I could cite similar examples until my fingers cramped from typing. Death Panels – an insurance company can show you death panels. The next time you hear a politician declare that they won’t vote for a bill that encourages seniors to die, ask them about THESE death panels, and ask them how much THESE death panels contributed to their re-election campaign.