It will be interesting to see if the right wingers that are running around talking about "death panels" are going to punish Congressmen Paul Ryan and Tom Petri for voting for the very same thing in 2003. That's right folks! Remember the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act that was pushed by George W. Bush and passed with massive support from Congressional Republicans? Well, it turns out that it also had funding for the same kind of end of life counseling that has the right wing whipped into a frenzy today. It even has identical language with the only difference being that the current language expands the funding beyond just people that are already terminally ill. Here is the 2003 language in question:
The covered services are: evaluating the beneficiary's need for pain and symptom management, including the individual's need for hospice care; counseling the beneficiary with respect to end-of-life issues and care options, and advising the beneficiary regarding advanced care planning.
How did Wisconsin Republicans vote on that 2003 legislation? Both Paul Ryan and Tom Petri joined 205 Republican colleagues in the House to pass that massive bill, "death panels" and all. So exactly when can I expect these right wing conspiracy theorists to shout down Paul Ryan and Tom Petri at one of their forums this month? Are they equally going to cheer Democratic representatives that voted against it? Does this at all change the views of so-called "pro-lifers" regarding George W. Bush who signed this legislation into law? Naturally these questions are rhetorical as I don't expect to ever get an honest answer from the right wing nuts, at least not an intellectually honest one.
Posts
8 comments:
That makes Petri's statement at a recent town hall up here in Fox Valley all the more dubious.
Was the counseling mandatory, or was it just offered as a service?
it was not mandatory in either case...the only difference between the 2003 one and the current one is that the later opens the funding to more than just those with terminal illness.
So, then why do you think it is the same thing?
because both are optional and both are funding for end of life counseling...they are almost the same exact thing.
"Almost" counts only in Horse Shoes and Hand Grenades. Nice try though, better luck next time!
wow, this is really splitting hairs i think...they both offer funding for optional end of life counseling...one just offers it to a larger group than the other. i obviously don't find that to be a meaningful difference but apparently you do.
I do, and so do most Seniors.
Post a Comment