Quote Originally Posted by Medusa View Post
This line from the Pants on Fire link posted above bugs me: "We want to make sure people are making the right decision. If some one wants to take every life-saving measure, that's their call. Others will decide it's not worth going through this trauma just for themselves and their families, and that's their decision, too." Excuse me but that's the way it is already. Now because the govt. steps in suddenly it'll be the right decision? According to whom exactly? The govt.? If our decision differs from theirs, that makes it wrong? Government, stay out of my health care decisions. I do not need you telling, cautioning or advising me as to what to do. I'll decide that for myself.
The article is addressing (and refuting) the specific claim that people on Medicare will be required to have counseling regarding end-of-life decisions. I think you're taking the quote out of that context.

There is no proposal that would require anybody to be counseled about such things as hospice care and living wills. There is a proposal that would require Medicare to cover such counseling if a covered person wants it. There's no government intrusion into health care decisions involved. Just because Medicare covers appendix removal, for example, doesn't mean that everybody is required to have their appendix taken out.