To Be or Not to Be - the only question suitable for Death Panels

They're back; Hey, for an administration that condemned the Bushies for purported violations of the Rule of Law and running roughshod over Congressional prerogatives, it would seem that promulgating a regulation, on Christmas Eve no less, that pays Medicare physicians a bonus payment for every patient consultation that convinces an elder to choose the hospice express to eternity would be deemed overreaching. When Congress explicitly rejected that very Medicare service in enacting Obamacare, one would think that such an unequivocal expression of the will of the people would be respected for at least one election cycle. Such arrogance bespeaks volumes.

Nonetheless, this Medicare service is objectionable as a huge waste of money, money the government does not have, but will gladly steal from my granddaughter and her generation. No doctor should accept a bonus payment for talking to his/her patients about end of life issues, as that matter is intrinsically part of the baseline annual physical examine for every elder patient.

No, the Death Panels are found in a different section of Obamacare. A panel of government experts will soon develop cost benefit calculations determining whether Medicare will pay for a specific medical procedure for each age category patient. These calculations are essential so that the budgeted funds are spent to achieve the greatest societal benefits. No individual care considerations in discussion between Doctor and Patient will open the Medicare checkbook when the "Advisory Board" has already ruled that a heart valve replacement for a retired 74 year old is too expensive, when that same money can be spent on gall stone removal for a 37 year old employed taxpayer.

Government funded Medicare has to and will cut off the old and infirm at some point, because to not do so would lead some to obtain life sustaining care which could keep them "alive" in a hospital setting for decades with feeding tubes, and other mechanical means, costing let's say "a Lot".

Ok, on reflection, I guess those Bonus payments for guaranteed embarkation on the hospice express are vital money savers after all. Just saying...