NEWS FLASH

Doctors Overwelmingly Back ‘Death Panels’ | A new poll from the Regence Foundation and the National Journal surveyed 500 board-certified physicians on their attitudes towards “palliative care,” which refers to end-of-life services designed to reduce pain and suffering rather than trying to cure a particular condition. Ninety-six percent of respondents said that it’s more important to improve dying patients’ quality of life than to prolong their lives as long as possible. Doctors also agreed on the importance of expanding access to the care, 82 percent cited reimbursement as a barrier palliative care while 95 percent said private insurance plans should cover palliative care and 94 percent said the same of Medicare. Smeared as an essential part of alleged “death panels” during the debate over health reform, palliative care also enjoys support from 71 percent of voters.

– Karl Singer