Section 1233 of HR 3200 Bill Causes a Stir, Once Again

Use common sense regarding section 1233

Just when I thought people were getting the story straight about section 1233, the section of HR 3200 that addresses end-of-life consultation, another round of strange interpretations and accusations has started flying around. I came across an article on LifeNews.com, a pro-life web site, that summarizes the new concerns surfacing about section 1233.

I’m not a politician or a policymaker. I’m just an average citizen who could use some cash loans like most U.S. residents. Instead of reading through all of the jargon and arguing, I’m simply going to address the claims people are making about section 1233 using common sense straight out of my own head.

Does section 1233 give financial incentive for euthanasia?

Here is a summary from LifeNews explaining one of the provisions of section 1233 of HR 3200, the bill on health care reform.

The measure would pay physicians to give Medicare patients end-of-life counseling every five years or sooner if the patient has a terminal diagnosis.

Here’s a quote, per LifeNews,  from a recent column by Charles Lane of the Washington Post Columnist:

“As I read it, Section 1233 is not totally innocuous,” Lane writes, adding that it “addresses compassionate goals in disconcerting proximity to fiscal ones.”

“Though not mandatory, as some on the right have claimed, the consultations envisioned in Section 1233 aren’t quite ‘purely voluntary,’” as backers of the bill assert, Lane adds. “To me, ‘purely voluntary’ means ‘not unless the patient requests one.’ Section 1233, however, lets doctors initiate the chat and gives them an incentive — money — to do so.” … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Section 1233 of HR 3200 Bill Causes a Stir, Once Again“