No coverage of the assisted suicide issue is fair and balanced without the perspective of disability organizations and individuals who oppose it. Today, the Maryland House Health and Government Operations and Judiciary Committees are holding a joint legislative hearing on proposed physician-assisted suicide legislation – House Bill 399.
The committees decided to allow all witnesses in favor of the bill to testify first, forcing opponents to wait . . . and wait. For disability advocates, who often face complicated health and transportation issues, the committee’s biased decision may effectively block some from testifying. At least one disability advocate, Sheryl Grossman, already had to leave.
“We live with a profit driven healthcare system facing tremendous cost-cutting pressures. Assisted suicide is the cheapest ‘treatment’,” said Anita Cameron, Director of Minority Outreach for Not Dead Yet. “These bills grant legal immunity to doctors and others who assist suicides of people who may have a terminal condition. They do not prevent mistakes, coercion or abuse and, therefore, endanger the lives of old, ill and disabled people.”
To speak with Maryland and national disability advocates who oppose assisted suicide bills, please contact:
Sheryl Grossman, Maryland resident, with the Nat’l Council on Independent Living
314-863-3211
Anita Cameron, Director of Minority Outreach, Not Dead Yet
585-259-8746
Those who manipulate the law for financial gain are not above depriving citizens of their right to free speech and due process of law.
Anita tells hard and ugly truth. It is true that the elderly, the disabled, the poor, are forced under current law governing private insurers and Medicare/Medicaid administrative law and procedure to die or to give up trying to live as long as is “medically possible” because this saves money for the private and government insurers.
When physician assisted suicide PAS becomes legal, the murder rate grows in US hospitals and clinics and Hospice for-profit facilities. Murder under the guise of compassion hides murder for the purpose of profit.
Because PAS is the cheapest and less burdensome solution for all of the parties involved, the heirs and the patient, PAS, of course, will be misused to protect and improve the profit margins of the Medical Industrial Complex.