Washington D.C., Aug 19, 2009 / 11:59 am
Members of the AARP are leaving by the thousands out of concern for the organization’s support for President Obama’s health care reform. While several issues are to blame, many have expressed concern that Section 1233 of HR 3200 gives doctors an incentive to persuade ill patients that assisted suicide is their best option.
CBS reports that 50,000 – 60,000 have left the AARP since July 1, 2009 due to disagreements on Obama’s health care reform. Even though the AARP does not officially endorse the proposed health care changes, the association is generally seen to be in support of the reform- so much so that even President Obama mistakenly stated last week that the AARP is on board with the administration’s changes.
One section of the bill that has senior citizens as well as younger Americans concerned is section 1233 of HR 3200 which is titled, “Advance Care Planning Consultation.”
The text of the bill describes “advance care planning” as including a consultation between the patient and his or her doctor in which they would discuss and answer questions including future care, living wills, durable powers of attorney, information about a health care proxy and an explanation about end-of-life services that would be available. These services include, according to the text, “palliative care and hospice, and benefits for such services and supports that are available under this title.”