WASHINGTON — DC Council passed the “death with dignity” bill Tuesday, sending it to the mayor for final approval.
The bill would allow terminally ill patients over 18 years old, with six months or fewer to live to request lethal medication from their doctors.
The council voted 11-2 to pass the measure with council members Brianne Nadeau, Ward 1, and Yvette Alexander, Ward 7, voting against it.
In it’s first reading Nov. 1, some council members expressed the difficulty they were having personally in supporting the legislation. Council member Kenyan McDuffie, Ward 5, was brought to tears recounting his father’s final days and remarked that it was “by far my toughest vote in the four- and-a-half years on this body,” he said.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: What are your thoughts on this bill?
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its fine if people want to do this
ReplyDeletebut insurance companies should be able to have some protection.
The difference will be no more than six months. If insurance premiums are paid through the time of death, regardless of when the death occurs, the policy pays the death benefit. That the death is a few months "early" and by more or less assisted suicide, is irrelevant to life insurance considerations.
ReplyDeleteThis is not ok on any level. However, If you really want to do this do in on your own dime. Do not bring other people into it, at least have the guts to take care of it on your own. Life insurance should never pay out on this either. Hospice is already too close to this and certainly should not be any closer. I have seen doctors in hospitals pissed because someone wants to fight an illness. Do we really want to go down this path? Really? Hell Medicare ineptness is already causing older people to die prematurely. I need to stop!!
ReplyDeleteI want to have this option for myself.
ReplyDeleteMillinials first
ReplyDeleteSince when should the individual not have a choice about their destiny?
ReplyDeleteI disagree 5:28 democrats first they should get head of the line privialeges
ReplyDeleteMurder and suicide plain and simple next comes killing healthy old people just because they are old and going to die anyway. Liberal thinking taught to kids in school. Class called values clarification. Very dangerous thinking. Wake up people this is what they where calling death squads in Obamacare.
ReplyDeleteWe're all going to die. It's just a matter of when. Why suffer if you don't have to?
ReplyDelete5:10....if one has a life insurance policy and has been paying it faithfully, but is diagnosed with terminal cancer, are you saying that if they decide to go a few months early that the insurance company shouldn't have to pay out??? Really??
ReplyDeleteHave you ever watched the last days of someone dying in pain and misery with not a hope of survival? I have.
I'll bet the house that if YOU were riddled with cancer and couldn't eat or find a position that wouldn't make you writhe in pain, and you had several tubes coming out of your chest and abdomen and you couldn't even speak without great effort, YOU would want that dose of relief.
What? Life insurance should only pay when you die in a car accident or something? Or do you WORK for an insurance company?
More liberal "we know whats best for you" BS.
7:46 pm
ReplyDeleteI too have watched loved ones die in pain.
No one should have to die like that, no one!
To have Death with Dignity should be available
to ALL who want it.
If I was given the option, I would rather go out on my own terms rather than see my family suffer seeing me suffer. I believe in death with dignity.
ReplyDeleteWhile I still have my facilities, I can make my final arrangements, and good byes, while I still have a clear mind to do so.
We do this for our pets when they reach the end of their lives, so they don't have to suffer anymore. Why can't we have the same options?
I remember the case a few years ago of a young woman with brain cancer. She chose to go out on her own terms before the pain became too great. She moved to Oregon to do this, because they have assisted suicide there.
I watched as my 90 year old grand father slowly died over a period of two months after slipping in the bathroom and breaking his neck. His body was paralyzed, but his mind was still sharp and he was fully aware of what was going on. It was a hell of a way to die.
I personally rather have the option to go on my own terms and not let technology keep me living and suffering needlessly.
Stealing a line just uttered by Megyn Kelly (nice black dress my dear), but who gives a FIG about this bill?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThis is not ok on any level. However, If you really want to do this do in on your own dime. Do not bring other people into it, at least have the guts to take care of it on your own. Life insurance should never pay out on this either. Hospice is already too close to this and certainly should not be any closer. I have seen doctors in hospitals pissed because someone wants to fight an illness. Do we really want to go down this path? Really? Hell Medicare ineptness is already causing older people to die prematurely. I need to stop!!
November 16, 2016 at 5:10 PM
Must be nice to be perfectly healthy and know that you will never have to suffer in your life.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteI want to have this option for myself.
November 16, 2016 at 5:18 PM
Me too!
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteSince when should the individual not have a choice about their destiny?
November 16, 2016 at 5:39 PM
Exactly!
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteWe're all going to die. It's just a matter of when. Why suffer if you don't have to?
November 16, 2016 at 6:30 PM
BINGO!!
lmclain said...
ReplyDelete5:10....if one has a life insurance policy and has been paying it faithfully, but is diagnosed with terminal cancer, are you saying that if they decide to go a few months early that the insurance company shouldn't have to pay out??? Really??
Have you ever watched the last days of someone dying in pain and misery with not a hope of survival? I have.
I'll bet the house that if YOU were riddled with cancer and couldn't eat or find a position that wouldn't make you writhe in pain, and you had several tubes coming out of your chest and abdomen and you couldn't even speak without great effort, YOU would want that dose of relief.
What? Life insurance should only pay when you die in a car accident or something? Or do you WORK for an insurance company?
More liberal "we know whats best for you" BS.
November 16, 2016 at 7:46 PM
I agree with you 100%
Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete7:46 pm
I too have watched loved ones die in pain.
No one should have to die like that, no one!
To have Death with Dignity should be available
to ALL who want it.
November 16, 2016 at 8:32 PM
One of my favorite sayings is God Bless Dr. Kavorkian!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteIf I was given the option, I would rather go out on my own terms rather than see my family suffer seeing me suffer. I believe in death with dignity.
While I still have my facilities, I can make my final arrangements, and good byes, while I still have a clear mind to do so.
We do this for our pets when they reach the end of their lives, so they don't have to suffer anymore. Why can't we have the same options?
I remember the case a few years ago of a young woman with brain cancer. She chose to go out on her own terms before the pain became too great. She moved to Oregon to do this, because they have assisted suicide there.
I watched as my 90 year old grand father slowly died over a period of two months after slipping in the bathroom and breaking his neck. His body was paralyzed, but his mind was still sharp and he was fully aware of what was going on. It was a hell of a way to die.
I personally rather have the option to go on my own terms and not let technology keep me living and suffering needlessly.
November 16, 2016 at 8:46 PM
AMEN
I am in favor of it. (Metaphorically speaking) The doctor doesn't pull the trigger, only loads the bullet. It is up to the individual to do that. There is nothing wrong with going out on your own terms and there is nothing wrong with saving the insurance company money either. It's a win-win
ReplyDeleteIt should be left up to God. Only he knows the time and way you should die. We should not be playing God with human life whether it be ours or someone elses. Only Gods knows how and when we should die. What about those incidents where the doctors made a mistake. Some people have been told by a doctor they have only months to live. Then they find out a mistake was made and the doctor mixed up the test results. Think about that then is it murder. Just saying it should be in God's hands not ours.
ReplyDelete7:22
ReplyDeleteYou have a point, but we are playing god every day through technology. We have machines that keep us on life support, that without them, most would have died long ago anyway. Is it gods will that we should suffer needlessly? I value life, and prefer life over death, but when my number comes up, I would rather go out on my own terms and not have someone else, like a hospital or Hospice decide my fate. I would rather die at home, than go to one of these facilities.
This bill needs to be passed in every state. Patients can die unbelieveable pain in their last months, one for certain is brain cancer where some have literally screamed until they died. It is the right thing to pass this we would have mercy on a pet why not a loved one.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone that wants "lethal medication" would have any problem finding it on the streets of DC. No need to go to a doctor for that.
ReplyDelete9:54....aahhhh....you don't know a lot, huh?
ReplyDeleteANY manner of death that the insurance companies can LINK to a crime, or criminal behavior, even not wearing a seat belt in a fatal car accident, is cause for an insurance company to deny the benefit.
Trust me --- they spend a LOT of time and money LOOKING for ANY reason NOT to pay.
Terminal means exactly that. Unless we are talking about insurance companies.
If you have terminal cancer and take heroin to kill you, you just got denied.
No liberal, lets-all-feel-good, dumb ass politician or self-appointed righteous do-gooder gets to tell the rest of us how we are ALLOWED to die.
I don't tell them which bribes they should take or which relative gets to get rich off the latest no-bid contract.
Stay OUT of my life (and death).
Keep cheering.
November 17, 2016 at 11:46 AM;
ReplyDeleteAlmost every overdose of with street drugs is listed as an "accidental" death. And accidental deaths are covered by life insurance.
You all should read your insurance policies. Almost all of them do not pay if it is suicide. Normally if you kill yourself it is considered suicide.
ReplyDelete