At the infomercial, I mean forum, on Health Care Reform hosted at the White House on June 24, Jane Sturm asked a pointed question on how the Health Care Reform will affect the elderly. Sturm mentioned her mother, who received a pacemaker at age 100 and is still living at 105 years old. Obama’s response left me wondering if doctors will only be able to prescribe pain pills for those deemed too costly to treat.

ABC’s Charles Gibson, who co-anchored the ‘forum’ with Diane Sawyer, is shown sitting beside Obama in this video.

Obama: The first thing for all of us to understand is we actually have some choices to make about how we want to deal with our own end of life care. … I think we have to have rules that say that we are going to provide good quality care for all people.

Gibson: But the money may not have been there for her pacemaker or for your grandmother’s hip replacement…

Obama: Right, well and that’s absolutely true. And end of life care is one of the most difficult sets of decisions that we’re going to have to make. I don’t want bureaucracies making those decisions but understand that those decisions are already being made in one way or another.

At this, Charles Gibson shifts uncomfortably in his chair.

Obama: …What we can do is make sure some of the waste that exists in the system that’s not making anyone’s mom better –that is loading up on additional tests or additional drugs– that the evidence shows is not necessarily going to improve care –that at least we can let doctors know and your mom know that, you know what, maybe this isn’t going to help. That maybe you’re better off not having the surgery but taking the painkiller. ….

Ouch. Are you wondering what will happen to you or your family if Obama’s Health Care Plan is passed? I am. I have parents and grandparents I’m worried about. I have disabled friends I’m concerned about. This Health Care plan would give power to government officials over what treatment is allowable, and what is too costly and not covered.

I’m thinking of all the people who could be deemed unworthy of life-saving treatment due to the high cost, and to the high number of people who may just be issued a painkiller prescription. Are you starting to wonder how the Obama administration thinks of those who are not perfectly healthy? I am. I’m wondering how they’ll rate everyone’s value, and who in the Obama administration will be issuing the valuation guidelines. Will it be Ezekiel Emanuel, who is the health-policy advisor at the Office of Management and Budget? The Dr. Emanuel who advocates the ‘complete lives‘ approach?

For those not familiar with ‘complete lives’ thinking, Dr. Emanuel co-wrote an article in The Lancet in January 2009. In it, the article states that those between ages 15-40 will get the most ‘substantial chance,’ and that those younger and older than that will, well, have less of a chance. How did the article in The Lancet put it? “…the youngest and oldest people get chances that are attenuated.”

After all, think of the investment the government has made in that younger group, and how much more they have to give to society! Read about ‘complete lives’, and be prepared to be appalled and scared.

Putting a value on life, valuing those who cost less to treat and who have the opportunity to give more to society because they are younger reminds me of what happened in Germany with the Nazi regime. Think about it. How far will the valuing of life go, and who in the government will be making those rationing decisions? Is the point to cull the imperfect from our nation? Or is it a more practical stance, that our government has limited resources to ably and humanely treat all Americans?

VideoSource: YouTube