Finance Committee to drop end-of-life provision, page 1

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Topic started on 13-8-2009 @ 11:24 PM by Jenna

The Senate Finance Committee will drop a controversial provision on consultations for end-of-life care from its proposed healthcare bill, its top Republican member said Thursday.

The committee, which has worked on putting together a bipartisan healthcare reform bill, will drop the controversial provision after it was derided by conservatives as "death panels" to encourage euthanasia.

"On the Finance Committee, we are working very hard to avoid unintended consequences by methodically working through the complexities of all of these issues and policy options," Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said in a statement. "We dropped end-of-life provisions from consideration entirely because of the way they could be misinterpreted and implemented incorrectly."

Finance Committee to Drop End of Life Provision

The article goes on to quote Grassley as saying that "The bill passed by the House committees is so poorly cobbled together that it will have all kinds of unintended consequences, including making taxpayers fund healthcare subsidies for illegal immigrants".

This isn't about H.R. 3200, this is a bill that the Finance Committee is expected to unveil after the August recess is over and Congress is back in session. I just want that to be clear to everyone. Grassley is touting this particular bill as being much better than the one currently being focused on, so I'll be interested in reading it and comparing the two once it's released. Removing that portion of any of the bills would likely decrease the opposition to them I would think. Not completely but it would be a start.

Edit: Fixed url

[edit on 13-8-2009 by Jenna]

reply posted on 13-8-2009 @ 11:27 PM by jam321

Does this mean Palin was right about death panels?

Seems Washington is trying to appease the senior citizens.

reply posted on 13-8-2009 @ 11:34 PM by Jenna

I think it's more of a concession that it could be implemented in such a way that it became a death panel than them saying that Palin is correct. That's the way I took it anyway. If there's even a chance that it could be implemented that way then it's a big red flag complete with a flashing neon sign that says "Change This".

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 01:55 AM by Gorman91

reply to post by Jenna

At this rate the dems are right, the bill will pass... and it will do absolutely nothing and make political suicide for Obama.

I really am sad. The man is so smart. Surely he can create a non bureaucratic single payer system? But no. Instead he does what his chain holders tell him to do.

I really do hate having the presidency captured by thugs and corrupt idiots.

I don't even blame Obama. It seems unreasonable that such a wise intelligent man could fall for it. There's got to be a long money trail somewhere for sure.

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 02:40 AM by LetTheTruthBeTold

Originally posted by jam

Seems Washington is trying to appease the senior citizens.

They would be wise to appease them. It's been shown time in and time out that a higher percentage of senior citizens vote than all voters. Here's some statistics, albeit 5 years old (but still represents the trend) to back it up:

Senior Journal

Unless, of course, the "Death Panel" rumors are true. Then, quite frankly, they wouldn't be around to vote at all...

[edit on 14-8-2009 by LetTheTruthBeTold]

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 09:50 AM by Jenna

reply to post by Gorman91

Unfortunately you're probably right. They are hell bent and determined to ram their bill through as quickly as possible. I think we just lucked out when they didn't manage to pull it off before they all went home for August.

What they don't seem to understand is that it may very well be political suicide for most of them, not just Obama.

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 03:08 PM by Iseekthetruth!!!!!!!!

From what I understand the Origional Bill (HR3200) and the House Ammended Bill will now have to go before the Committee to iron out the differences.
It is Anyones Guess at this point what the final Bill will have or not have in it.
I believe that once it comes out of committee it will be voted on. I wonder if that will give those of us that Care time to read it first?

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 03:14 PM by jam321

Iseek, that is a good point you make. Right now we are all busy debating what they couldn't pass.

When they returned, I am pretty sure they will change it up and try to pass it before people really find out what is in the final bill.

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 03:23 PM by Iseekthetruth!!!!!!!!

reply to post by jam321

I guess the Only thing we can do at this point is to tell them that We Don't Want it!
The Only people I hear supporting this Bill, are the poor who seem to expect everything handed to them.

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 05:38 PM by Jenna

Originally posted by Iseekthetruth!!!!!!!!
I wonder if that will give those of us that Care time to read it first?

Probably not. All the backlash they've gotten in the last few weeks will make them want to get it through that much quicker after they get it ironed out. They aren't going to want to give anyone a chance to find anything wrong until it's already on it's way to be signed.

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 05:47 PM by Gorman91

reply to post by Jenna

You need to, as does everyone, post the final creation ASAP.

I can read extremely fast. That's the good news. We really should organize a group of the fastest readers on ATS to digest the final bill.

When is it due to come out?

As to political suicide, I just don't want the democrats to do that. Or the republicans. Whenever a change in party identity occurs, wacky people can get to the top in the vacuum. I'd favor it during a less heated time period, but right now there's just too much going on. The democrats risk a lot.

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 05:55 PM by Jenna

reply to post by Gorman91

The Finance Committee version isn't due out until Congress comes back, but I'm going to be keeping an eye out for it. I'm just hoping that it's better than H.R. 3200, surely it can't be any worse.

reply posted on 14-8-2009 @ 06:03 PM by Iseekthetruth!!!!!!!!

reply to post by Gorman91

Original Bill
HR 3200
thomas.loc.gov...:H.R.3200:

House version
Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute - Agreed to, as amended, by a voice vote
energycommerce.house.gov...:hr-3200-americas-affordable-health-choices-act-of-2009-markup-day-5& catid=141:full-committee&Itemid=85

reply posted on 15-8-2009 @ 10:45 AM by Jenadots

Interesting they took out a provision they all claimed didn't exist.

What else in the bill doesn't exist that needs to be taken out?

reply posted on 15-8-2009 @ 02:01 PM by Jenna

reply to post by Jenadots

The House has claimed that the provision in H.R. 3200 won't result in what some have called "death panels", the Finance Committee has been working on their own bill and have taken that provision out of their version.

There are way too many versions to keep track of right now.