This is a special sort of stupid

[ericcoleman]

From this editorial

"People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless."

Comments

[stephanieb.livejournal.com]

You know, I thought this: http://pandagon.net/index.php/site/everything_a_resistance_movement/

was the stupidest thing I was going to read today. But no, you found the winner.

Rationing occurs in EVERY health care system, including the really f-ed up bureaucracy-ridden for-profit one we enjoy in the US. Funnily enough, our health outcomes (including longevity) aren't any better--and in some areas are worse--than countries with the dreaded socialized medicine.

While I come down firmly on the side of a Canadian-style single payer system, I'm certainly willing to concede that reasonable people can disagree about a lot of important issues regarding health-care reform. This article isn't making an argument at all, however. It's flat-out, slanderous lying in an attempt to fear-monger. Which makes me think the anti-reform folks don't think they have much of an argument.

Dying really isn't optional, since we don't know how to treat every disease or condition. At a certain point there really isn't anything more that can be done no matter HOW much money you or your health care system have. Otherwise we'd be swimming in ancient rich people. One of my partners is a palliative care doc and he participates in a lot of end-of-life and pre-hospice counseling. Palliative care and hospice and living wills aren't about pulling the plug on Grandma against her will to save the government some cash. They're about acknowledging the medical realities and giving Grandma the best possible--by her own standards and her own choices--months/weeks/days left to her.

[tlunquist.livejournal.com]

Technically, it's libelous, not slanderous, but your point is well-taken. :)

As I understand it, the new system would make government resources available to elderly folks who want some help or guidance about end-of-life decisions like living wills and that sort of stuff. Considering how complicated some of that can be, that's either a really nice benefit, or it's a nightmare (when was the last time someone from the government actually made something simpler or easier to understand?)

That said, my impression is not that the government will go hunting down old people and making them write power of attorney documents; but rather will communicate that help is available to those who need it (I'd imagine this would involve sending them a brochure or something.)

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Wow, I thought I would never hear anything quite as stupid as "Get the Government out of our Medicare."

[bdunbar.livejournal.com]

It's an easy mistake to make: he doesn't talk with a discernible British accent.

[bdunbar.livejournal.com]

Kidding aside - I am surprised that one passed the sniff test at IBD.

Score an own-goal for professional journalism! Whhoooooo!

[erik]

Er...um...Professor Hawking is...er...I mean...


Never mind.

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

British? Nonsense. He can't be. He's clever and scientific and all like that there. All we know about over here in Britain is drinking tea and talking in funny accents. Well-known fact.

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

Nah, we speak English: you guys have the accents.

Ummm, Johnny ...

[ericcoleman]

The key part of his comment was "over here in Britain".

Re: Ummm, Johnny ...

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

Ooops.

Sorry my brain has melted in anger at some of the insanities of the present debate.

Evidently I'm losing it badly. Apologies to all concerned.

[scott-lynch.livejournal.com]

NNNGGGGGHHHHHHH

It's like a nut-shot, but to my brain.

[emiofbrie.livejournal.com]

Tak and I both wish to say PLEASE tell us the press is having a lot of fun with this *heh*

[johnny9fingers.livejournal.com]

Blimey, that's really impressive. Delusory or what?

Just to emphasize the point: what planet are these chaps on? Almost tempted to gank it for my page, but I'm still catching up.

[tlunquist.livejournal.com]

Damn us to HELL for being open to the possibility that spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep someone's brain-dead great grandfather on a respirator for ten years is not an ideal use of our hard-earned money.

I don't think "end-of-life planning" means the same thing on my planet as it does on this guy's.