Palin Stands by 'Death Panel' Claim on Health Bill

[Mark Mentzer]

By MATTHEW DALY (AP)

WASHINGTON — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin refused to retreat from her debunked claim that a proposed health care overhaul would create "death panels," as the growing furor over end-of-life consultations forced a key group of senators to abandon the idea in their bill.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, one of six lawmakers negotiating on a Senate bill, said Thursday they had dropped end-of-life provisions from consideration "entirely because of the way they could be misinterpreted and implemented incorrectly."

In a Facebook posting titled "Concerning Death Panels," Palin argued Wednesday night that the elderly and ailing would be coerced into accepting minimal end-of-life care to reduce health care costs based on the Democratic bill in the House.

But there will be no "death panels" under the legislation being considered. In fact, the provision in the bill would allow Medicare to pay doctors for voluntary counseling sessions that address end-of-life issues. The conversations between doctor and patient would include living wills, making a close relative or a trusted friend your health care proxy, learning about hospice as an option for the terminally ill, and information about pain medications for people suffering chronic discomfort.

The sessions would be covered every five years, more frequently if someone is gravely ill.

The American Medical Association and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization support the provision.

In her posting, Palin wrote: "With all due respect, it's misleading for the president to describe this section as an entirely voluntary provision that simply increases the information offered to Medicare recipients," and added, "It's all just more evidence that the Democratic legislative proposals will lead to health care rationing."

The issue is no longer viable for the six members of the Senate Finance Committee — three Republicans and three Democrats — working on a bipartisan bill, according to Grassley. In a statement, Grassley criticized the House bill, saying there was a difference between a "simple education campaign, as some advocates want," and paying "physicians to advise patients about end-of-life care."

The provisions remain in the House bill.

Palin's posting came one day after Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said that Palin and other critics were not helping the GOP by tossing out false claims. Portions of the Democratic health care bills "are bad enough that we don't need to be making things up," Murkowski said, invoking a phrase that Palin used in her resignation speech, when she asked the news media to "quit making things up."

Murkowski said she was offended at the death panel terminology. "There is no reason to gin up fear in the American public by saying things that are not included in the bill," she said.

Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Republican who co-sponsored a similar measure in the Senate, said it was "nuts" to claim the bill encourages euthanasia.

And Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., who authored the provision on end-of-life counseling, said he is astounded that Palin has not tempered her bleak descriptions of the health care bill.

"It's deliberate at this point," Blumenauer said. "If she wasn't deliberately lying at the beginning, she is deliberately allowing a terrible falsehood to be spread with her name."

He said the measure would block funds for counseling that presents suicide or assisted suicide as an option, calling references to death panels or euthanasia "mind-numbing."

Associated Press Writer Erica Werner contributed to this report.

[Westerly_2]

You know, (I just finished watching), acccording to Keith and Rachel on MSNBC, Sarah as governor, in 2006, or so, sponsored a state bill addressing right to life counselling in her state. They gave the bill #, but I did not write it down. Such a thing would be a matter of public record, and I'll try to find it.

In other words, she was for end-of-life counselling before she called it a "death panel." Are we surprised yet?

[P.A.]

I saw that too and it was a procamation of a day sent aside for making living wills. She called for every one to talk over end of life arrangements and help others do the same.
There was also a speech by Newt Gingrinch calling for the same thing and talking about how much money it would save medicare.
and another with Rush Limbaugh doing a commercial for an online company that helped you make living wills

[Mark Mentzer]

As a cartoon character myself I take offense to the comparison between me and Palin. LoL

[Grace Linda]

She is actually a great big "C" word and I never use that.

[Madhatterat60]

My EX absolutely detested Palin from Day One. So much so that it surprised me a great deal. I asked why she was so adamantly opposed to Sarah Palin.

"She is like all those prom queen/cheer leader bitches from high school who simply cannot leave that limelight behind. There is NOTHING real behind the eyes...just the need to be seen as 'someone important'...and for no other reason than that." She went on and on and on...and this long before "what newspapers do you read?" pop up.

[Boothby171]

I think I want to give Keith Olberman a man-hug.

[Mark Mentzer]

Make sure you pat him on the back 3 times and don't squeeze. LOL

[Madhatterat60]

Frankly, if the current crop of repuglycants hold sway in 2012, I pray that they DO nominate Sarah as a Presidential candidate. At best, playing her hand to the red meat knuckle draggers who make up the core repuglycant party, she'll garner 39% of the vote and the party will go the way of The Bull Moose Party.

HOWEVER, if enough of these backwoods jerkwater morons keep showing up to town hall meetings and really disrupting them, 2012 may be too far away. The backlash is beginning to form...and those like TOOL, who think it'll work against the President are truly delusional.

Or, as someone said just yesterday....when 65% of the voting base is under 35 and ALREADY considers your party irrelevant, the handwriting on the wall is REALLY clear!