"Death Panel" Physicians Will Get Paid More for Inducing Patients to Sign "Living Wills"

September 5, 2009 (LPAC)—The efforts of Obama Administration spokesman and their propagandists such as the Washington Post to deny that the Administration-favored health bill promotes euthanasia, were further demolished by former New York State Lt. Gov. McCaughey, in letter to the the editor of the Post published today.

McCaughey points out, rebutting those who say that the patient is free to ignore the advice given in end-of-life counseling or not to seek it at all, that if the provision were simply about providing Medicare coverage for such counseling, it would not have required six pages in the House bill, including a long list of exactly what "shall" be covered in the end-of-life consultations. More importantly, she shows that physicians will be financially penalized for non-compliance with the bill's provisions. and thus is it not "voluntary" as its proponents claim.

"Doctors' quality ratings will be determined in part by the percentage of doctors' patients who create living wills and the percentage who adhere to them—and quality ratings affect a doctor's Medicare reimbursement," McCaughey writes, adding that "Doctors will incur penalties when situations change and a living will is not adhered to. As a patient advocate, I see these difficult situations and know that government should not be involved."

LPAC has confirmed the accuracy of McCaughey's charges regarding "quality ratings;" she is apparently referring to a subsection of Sec. 1233 which is entitled "Expansion of Physician Quality Reporting Initiative for End of Life Care."