TitanTiger 20,511 Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 EUGENE, Ore. — After weeks of bad news, things turned Barbara Wagner’s way this week.Last month her lung cancer, in remission for about two years, was back. After her oncologist prescribed a cancer drug that could slow the cancer growth and extend her life, Wagner was notified that the Oregon Health Plan wouldn’t cover it. It would cover comfort and care, including, if she chose, doctor-assisted suicide... http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs....UPDATE/80603027 The twisted way these people think is sickening. Fortunately, an evil, greedy drug company representative stepped in and provided the drug for free so the paragons of compassion at the state-run health care office wouldn't be complicit in speeding her death. What the hell is wrong with people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigermike 3,055 Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 You know if the Oregon Health Plan covers abortions all is well in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,511 Posted June 8, 2008 Author Share Posted June 8, 2008 Wow. Crickets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiger88 934 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 It's not really that big a deal to me. The real issue is the outrageous price for prescription drugs. $4000/mo. for this particular cancer drug. Then guess what? The pharm. company jumps in and offers to supply the drug for free. Then they'll just cut a check for a billion dollars the next time they lose a case. They do cover cancer treatment just not if it is a sure death situation. Until government has the resources to pay for every medical cost that comes up they need to pick and choose what to cover. We are so caught up in the need to prolong life. If you have the means to do it yourself then go for it. To expect the government to step in and do it isn't realistic. Half the population is going to be 80+ before long with medical bills piling up around their ears. Afa the assisted suicide thing, I don't have a problem with it as long as it is used in terminal cases where death is near. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,511 Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 It's not really that big a deal to me. The real issue is the outrageous price for prescription drugs. $4000/mo. for this particular cancer drug. Then guess what? The pharm. company jumps in and offers to supply the drug for free. Then they'll just cut a check for a billion dollars the next time they lose a case. They do cover cancer treatment just not if it is a sure death situation. Until government has the resources to pay for every medical cost that comes up they need to pick and choose what to cover. We are so caught up in the need to prolong life. If you have the means to do it yourself then go for it. To expect the government to step in and do it isn't realistic. Half the population is going to be 80+ before long with medical bills piling up around their ears. Afa the assisted suicide thing, I don't have a problem with it as long as it is used in terminal cases where death is near. They aren't refusing to pay for drugs in a "sure death" situation. They are being bean counters looking at the odds of survival five years out and drawing the arbitrary line from there. But I think the real irony is that the state will pay for her to kill herself but not pay for her to prolong her life. I get that government can't pay for every medical cost but to refuse to pay for medicine but offer to pay for her to off herself? There's also the angle that the rich in Oregon who can pay for insurance will get every chance to live longer while the poor have to settle for ending it all. Something about the sort of thinking that leads to stuff like this just boggles the mind to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiger88 934 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Well, you can paint a negative nancy picture or you can be grateful that the state is there to help out the poor. No one is being forced to off themselves. Something tells me that pain killers are there for the poor who are terminally ill if they don't want assisted suicide. Afa the rich, they can possibly prolong their lives a tiny bit but will soon be in the same boat as the poor (This applies to dire cases only). They will be near death and in tremendous pain and can decide on toughing it out or assisted suicide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,511 Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Well, you can paint a negative nancy picture or you can be grateful that the state is there to help out the poor. I don't think it's "negative nancy" to point out the weirdness of not paying to prolong life but being willing to pay for someone to kill themselves. That's just creepy. Are my only choices gratitude for the way it is now or "negative nancy" on the whole thing? Or can I be grateful for the poor getting health care while still being critical of how they handle terminal illnesses and paying for suicide? As usual, there's a middle position to be had rather than having to stake out the "all" or "nothing" positions. Afa the rich, they can possibly prolong their lives a tiny bit but will soon be in the same boat as the poor (This applies to dire cases only). They will be near death and in tremendous pain and can decide on toughing it out or assisted suicide. The point is, they get the shot. They get to prolong their lives, spend more time with family and friends, more time to get final affairs ironed out and tie up loose ends in relationships...all the things we all want when faced with a grim prognosis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiger88 934 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Yes, if everyone in the whole wide world was exactly equal and received all the same wonderful and extensive benefits, that would be just peachy. I said negative nancy because you were taking a negative approach to something that has a positive side. The positive side being that even the poor in Oregon get lots of health care benefits that in many cases help them lead long healthy lives. When they get sick, they get treated for the most part, although maybe not to the extent of the wealthy. Such is life. I didn't paint is as an all or nothing situation the way you implied. I am nowhere near wealthy and have no problem with the way things are done there. Happiness/peace exists within and not with eeking a little extra time out of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auburn85 432 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 i have no problem with assisted suicide. i just hope it doesn't ever cause some kind of pressure on old people that they should die sooner than later. good article though. sure, universal healthcare is good for the basics like teeth cleaning, fillings, flu shots, chicken pox. once we get into bypass surgeries, certain cancer treatments, then it gets hazy. we are an unhealthy country. it's not a healthcare system, it's a sick care system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,511 Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 i have no problem with assisted suicide. i just hope it doesn't ever cause some kind of pressure on old people that they should die sooner than later. Rest assured, it will. It's already starting in European countries. Even worse in those that are tiptoeing into euthanasia decisions made by doctors. When you set up a system that deems life-prolonging treatments as too expensive in someone's cost/benefit analysis but has no problem signing the check to help you kill yourself, social pressure to do just that and "not to take up resources that could be used to help others get care" will begin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,511 Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 I said negative nancy because you were taking a negative approach to something that has a positive side. The positive side being that even the poor in Oregon get lots of health care benefits that in many cases help them lead long healthy lives. When they get sick, they get treated for the most part, although maybe not to the extent of the wealthy. Such is life. I didn't paint is as an all or nothing situation the way you implied. Sure seemed that way. To point out the creepy dichotomy happening there wasn't an indictment against gov't healthcare as a proposition (or as you put it, "negative nancy.") In fact, I've expressed support for finding ways to get everyone covered with basic health insurance here many times, so I'm hardly the poster child for not seeing the upside of covering the poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiger88 934 Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 I said negative nancy because you were taking a negative approach to something that has a positive side. The positive side being that even the poor in Oregon get lots of health care benefits that in many cases help them lead long healthy lives. When they get sick, they get treated for the most part, although maybe not to the extent of the wealthy. Such is life. I didn't paint is as an all or nothing situation the way you implied. Sure seemed that way. To point out the creepy dichotomy happening there wasn't an indictment against gov't healthcare as a proposition (or as you put it, "negative nancy.") In fact, I've expressed support for finding ways to get everyone covered with basic health insurance here many times, so I'm hardly the poster child for not seeing the upside of covering the poor. Didn't realize that there was a textbook negative nancy definition that all went by. Like I said, I was just pointing out the negative take on a deal that has many plusses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,511 Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 Um...ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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