Death Panels and Forced Euthanasia? by Dr. Sharon Orrange/Primary Care Physician: at DailyStrength Doctors and Advisors

Dr. Orrange received her BA in Biology at the University of California, San Diego, and a Masters Degree in Health Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. She received her MD from the USC Keck School of…

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LOCATION: Santa Monica, CA, USA

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Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Geriatric, Hospital and General Internal Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California

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Death Panels and Forced Euthanasia?

Posted in Alcoholism by Dr. Sharon Orrange on Aug 09, 2009

Many of us have seen that the "discussion" surrounding healthcare reform is heated to say the least. As a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at USC we in primary care are waiting to see how this plays out. I believe reform has to happen and that everyone deserves access to affordable healthcare, I also realize this will mean changes for us as Physicians that aren't all good. Physicians and Patients are frustrated at shorter office visits and we have to figure out how to attract medical students to Primary Care or we aren't going to have anyone to take care of us when we are older.

The most disgusting part of the healthcare reform discussion, however, is now fully underway. I heard Newt Gingrich defending Sarah Palin's remarks about Death panels choosing euthanasia. Newt Gingrinch "reminds us" that a Government run healthcare plan would mean that euthanasia is a likely outcome of Bureaucrats being able to decide who gets healthcare and who doesn't. This, more than any crazy comment I have heard in the last year, infuriates me. It is such a disgusting idea it's hard for me to legitimize it by responding to it but I realize this idea of "death panels" is catching on with some folks. I'd like to remind folks starting to worry about Death Panels and euthanasia that Medicare is a government run entity and we certainly don't engage in Death Panels with our Medicare patients, and in fact Medicare will cover you and all of your inpatient hospital care no worries. My ICU last week was full of Medicare patients receiving the highest level of care as we should all expect. I trained at a VA Hospital in La Jolla, also Government run, and we certainly didn't engage in Death Panels or Euthanasia. In fact, I spend quite a bit of time at LA County Medical Center where folks have no coverage at all and receive excellent intensive care. Not only is this a baseless argument but to imply that Physicians would go along with Death Panels and time limits in ICUs, for example, is insulting. This discussion of Death Panels and euthanasia is uneducated, annoying, disgusting and none of us should stand for the dumbing down of this discussion. It's too important.

Dr O.

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Displaying comments 97-78 of 97

when i was on medicare a couple of years ago living in utah I honestly felt like the doc and hospital could care less if my baby or I died. They treat you different there depending on what insurence you have. Its great its not like that everywhere though. I see goverment insurence wanting to cut out what they will cover that could save lives and yet the gov will pay for your cell phone or inernet and it all seems crazy to me.

By amberdance Nov 10, 2011

If anybody is naive enough to think that private insurance companies don't have death panels (if you don't make a profit for them, they will find a way to deny you treatment - no matter how much you may have paid in premiums), then you deserve to die sooner than later.

By loneralone Jun 15, 2011

You cant say what will happen in the future. Dr. you are one of the very few, that believe in what is "just and right" but I dont believe that is always the true motive for people when deciding to be a doctor. The majority go into it because its lucrative. So we will end up LESS docs to serve MORE people-with a system that claims EVERYONE will be treated equal- HOW will that happen? REALISTICALLY!
Who will get the proper tests? Who will get the surgery they need to survive? The elderly and those with the most health problems, will fall by the wayside.
They may not have a "death panel" BUT in the long term it could be considered the same--people will die because the scales will be tipped the other way- just in a less noticeable way. Two things... I am glad that I am not that old and I am glad that I will never have to make those kind of decisions for others.

By lladyfairhair Feb 02, 2011

Thanks Dr. Orrange for your views. I totally agree with you.

By debib399 Mar 12, 2010

Thank you Dr Orrange for sticking up for what's right!

By roseypeach Jan 10, 2010

well they wont have a choice and most doctors will leave as their pay wont be much and we will have a gatekeeper deciding if we even get to see a doctor. The govt will have all the paper work and know everything about you. the govt will have a final say.

By Barb99999999 Jan 06, 2010

Who says that doctors have to go along with the death czars.

By secondself Jan 03, 2010

Thank you very much
My dad was for health care reform
back in the 60's. No one should go
with out health care do to lack of
funds to pay for it.

By greg1024 Dec 10, 2009

It may be ignorant and disgusting but a panel has been set up included in the stimulous bill behind our backs that decides what treatment if any you receive and yes doctors will have to follow these orders and yes many, many doctors are against this. Not only that if you take 500 Billion Dollars away from medicare and have no advantage plans what kind of care do you think seniors will get. Seniors are pretty smart and they know as well as the doctors what is coming, that is why so many people are against this healthcare bill.

By padato Dec 02, 2009

Here is how I see this new health care plan. The Govt. will eventually say who gets health care depending on age. I believe the new Administration see senior citizens as a drain to the financial status of the Govt. through the current Medicare System. Senior Citizens are no longer among the Tax Payers of this country so, they are seen as "dead weight to this society. Obama says that Abortions would not be funded by this system but, in reality, they are. He says that euthanasia isn't in the bill but, there are loop holes that will allow it. This Bill is over 2000 pages thick and I doubt seriously if Obama and most Congressman have ever read it in it's entirety. I agree that Midicare has it's flaws and I must also say that the AMA is partially responsible for escalating health care cost due to all the tests and charges that are charged for medical services. It's like the AMA believes that Money grows on trees and their tree has a name. It's Medicare.

By sidecar Nov 29, 2009

Just heard today that medicare does do death panels, every thing they say they arent doing ,they do, thats why no one trusts the goverment. Obama laughed and said no death panels, i quess you could say he lies. The laugh is on us.

By Barb99999999 Oct 30, 2009

"Death panels" simply refer to the bureaucrats that will decide whether you will receive the treatments your doctor recommended. Because of budget limitations that have affected ALL government run programs in other nations and ours, people will be judged based upon thier quality of life and expected life spans and not what's best for them. If you live in Canada or the UK and you are 75, good luck getting cutting edge treatment. The result? Suffering and early death. This is all verifiable FACT.

By STLBrian Oct 15, 2009

The blind will see that the health care bill is a sham, we wont be able to afford it and forced to have something you cant afford, or be fined. Its not about money , its about control, goverment control. I dont even care any more, how can you be proud of your country when their is so much corruption in the goverment.

By Barb99999999 Oct 10, 2009

I have so much to say regarding this subject, but I cannot seem to fit it all into 1024 characters, so I'll try to sum it up. The death panel hype is produced by those who have much to gain, health care executives at risk for losing some of their millions, lobbyists at risk of losing their jobs, republicans at risk of losing their seniority for another 2 years, and a woman who lost the vice presidential race, has no current position in the government (at any level), and who is at risk of losing her 10 minutes of fame. Our health care system currently has death panels, we just don't call it what it is...i.e. the woman who was left to die from cancer because she forgot to mention she was treated for acne as a teen or those who are left to suffer because health care is unaffordable or released from hospitals too soon because they don't have health insurance. People, get smart, do your own research, don't blindly follow the ignorant.

By Monkeymom3 Oct 10, 2009

amen, dr. o.

By DJH Oct 09, 2009

Ignorance has no pride. I feel very sad that there are so many people running around shooting their mouths off, proud of their ignorance. I just moved to a new state and I am appalled at this discovery. Makes me happy to be from where I am from. "There is one thing more that will keep a man in everlasting ignorance and that is: Contempt Prior to Investigation." Get educated, folks. This is a complicated problem and it's probably going to have a complicated answer. Relax, everyone is going to have to give, and we all need each other.

By LornaR Oct 06, 2009

health care is already rationed by big insurance. how could the medical industry possibly get any worse??

By capnhardass Sep 27, 2009

yeah, dont be too sure of that, no one cares when your old

By Barb99999999 Sep 25, 2009

there are not going to be death panels right wing propoganda

By atasteforsuffering Sep 24, 2009