Monday, March 21, 2005
It Isn't Murder If They're Poor
In Texas, doctors can pull the plug on folks like Ms. Schiavo as soon as their money runs out - and George W. apparently signed it into law (Health&Safety Code 166.046.) I guess Tom DeLay only considers this "murder" if the family relies on Medicare for paying their medical bills. Here's the relevant part of the Texas "futile care" law:
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(e)If the patient or the person responsible for the healthThe State of Texas website has a place where you can download Texas Health and Safety Code Section 166.
care decisions of the patient is requesting life-sustaining
treatment that the attending physician has decided and the review
process has affirmed is inappropriate treatment, the patient shall
be given available life-sustaining treatment pending transfer
under Subsection (d). The patient is responsible for any costs
incurred in transferring the patient to another facility. The
physician and the health care facility are not obligated to provide
life-sustaining treatment after the 10th day after the written
decision required under Subsection (b) is provided to the patient
or the person responsible for the health care decisions of the
patient unless ordered to do so under Subsection (g).
See Texas Health and Safety Code Section 166.046(e) (Emphasis added.)
