According to HB 140, End of Life Options Bill, RX for death is described as palliative care that should be standardized for end-of-life care? I cannot ever agree that purposefully dying improves the delivery of any quality of services.
Delaware’s House Bill 140 states.
“WHEREAS, the integration of medical aid in dying into the standard for end of life care has improved the quality of services by providing an additional palliative care option to terminally ill individuals.”
There is nothing to prevent insurance denials for life saving or improving healthcare. Nothing to ensure ill people can get home care services.
The bill uses a lot of “should nots” and not many “shall nots” when it comes to protecting the requester or holding anyone accountable. There is no oversight after the prescription is given. There is no investigation if anything seems questionable. No requirement for witnesses to the administration of the drugs.
HB 140 mentions a person may be referred for a psychological eval to determine capacity to make decisions. it does not mention determining if depression or other psychological conditions may influence that decision. Very few (less than 4%) are ever referred to a psychologist.
Safeguards are not reliable and are ineffective. Authorities in Oregon rely on self-reporting by doctors and do nothing on verifying data. Authorities can’t assess non-compliance.
Opponents, often mention “the slippery slope” this intro of HB 140 has already taken steps to expand the opportunity for more prescribers by giving authority to Advance Practice RNs to diagnose and to RX lethal substances to those they give a prognosis of terminal within 6 months.
There is a greater risk to elderly and disabled people.
Although this bill says we “should not” (notshall not) be coerced pressured or compelled to take the drugs to end life, too often the “right to die” becomes a “duty to die”.
The 5 main reasons listed for taking part in this (according to the Oregon report) are (1) Loss of autonomy 91% (2) Less able to engage in activities 90%. (3)Loss of dignity 74%. (4) Burden on others 47%. (5) Losing control of body functions 43%
I have been subject to all those reasons except 3 and 4. I find my dignity in my life, and I know burdens are often shared with each other.
I am 76 years old. Many of my friends and acquaintances with disabilities have been lost to Covid-19 because of early rationing of treatment while preferring younger, without disabilities who are determined to be more valuable than those of us with disabilities. Many of us have become closer to terminal for lack of even standard, typical treatments and care during this pandemic. Managed care is a, for profit business, and they don’t make money on expensive care.
According to the Oregon reported reasons, every person receiving a lethal prescription is disabled.
Pain is not in the top 5 reasons. However, pain or fear of it seems to be used as the most prominent talking point for this legislation. Focus should be on assuring the medical profession advances pain management, home care, extending and supporting a better life.
Nonterminal people receive lethal prescriptions in Oregon according to their own reports. Some live past the 6-month prognosis, a few of them for years longer (one well over 1000 days) we will never know about some of those that took the drugs early.
Do not make HB 140 the law in Delaware. dying earlier is not worth a single mistake. Not worth a single unnecessary death.
