Canada: Bill C-14 is a Recipe for Elder Abuse & Contrary to the Carter Case

https://choiceisanillusion.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/press-release-bill-c-14.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dore:  "Canada’s Bill C-14, which seeks to codify assisted suicide and euthanasia, is a recipe for elder abuse.”

“The bill is contrary to the Canadian Supreme Court case, Carter v Canada, which envisioned a ‘carefully designed and monitored system of safeguards.’”

Contact: Margaret Dore:   (206) 697-1217
margaretdore@margaretdore.com

Ottawa, ON - Lawyer Margaret Dore, president of Choice is an Illusion, which has been fighting efforts to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia in the United States, Canada and other countries, made the following statement in connection with Canada’s Bill C-14, which seeks to codify assisted suicide and euthanasia into law.

"The bill refers to assisted suicide and euthanasia as 'medical assistance in dying,' but there is no requirement that a person be dying,” said Dore. “‘Eligible’ persons may have years, even decades, to live.”

Dore said, "The bill is a recipe for elder abuse. The patient's heir, who will financially benefit from the patient's death, is allowed to actively participate in signing the patient up for the lethal dose. There is no oversight over administration." Dore elaborated, "In the case of assisted suicide, not even a doctor or other medically trained person is required to be present at the death.  If the patient struggled, who would know?"

“The bill is a response to the Canadian Supreme Court decision, Carter v. Canada, which found a right to assisted suicide and euthanasia for ‘competent’ adults who ‘clearly consent,’” said Dore. The bill, however, does not comply with these requirements. Dore explained, “The bill does not even use the word ‘competent,’ except in the bill’s preamble, which does not have force of law. The bill violates Carter, which requires that the patient be a ‘competent adult.’”

“Carter also envisioned  a ‘carefully designed and monitored system of safeguards,’” said Dore. “This would at the very least require oversight when the lethal dose is administered to the patient. The bill does not do so. There is also no required monitoring or investigation after the patient’s death.”

Military Veteran Groups Threatened by Assisted Suicide Study Bill in NH; Bill Defeated 174 to 123!

From True Dignity Vermont
http://www.truedignity.org/military-veteran-groups-threatened-by-assisted-suicide-study-proposals-in-nh/

To hear Representative Baldasaro's speech, click here

Rep Al Baldasaro

Rep. Al Baldasaro of the New Hampshire Legislature on May 11 gave an impassioned speech against a proposed “study committee” to look at “end of life choices.” Speaking on behalf of Veterans’ PTSD/TBI Commission, he cited the fact that New Hampshire is facing an epidemic of suicides among Veterans, and said, “What message are you sending to the community out there and all the good work every one of us has done to protect people from killing themselves? Now we want to make it easy?”

He said that opening the door to such a practice would have grave consequences for veterans at risk for suicide, and that even studying such a bill would threaten efforts to help veterans.   He clearly states that euphemisms such as “aid in dying” don’t change the fact that such laws promote suicide and threaten efforts to protect people from killing themselves.

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On May 11, 2016, the New Hampshire House of Representatives defeated the bill, 174 to 123.

New Power of Attorney Act Expressly Excludes "Death with Dignity"

Washington State's new uniform power of attorney act specifically says that “no rights under Washington’s death with dignity act, chapter 70.245 RCW may be exercised through a power of attorney.”  Session Law 5635, Section 219.

Two Doctors Convicted of Falsely Certifying Patients as Terminally Ill as Part of $8.8 Million Healthcare Fraud Scheme

https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/two-doctors-convicted-falsely-certifying-patients-terminally-ill-part-88-million

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker

Thursday, May 5, 2016

LOS ANGELES – Two doctors were found guilty today of federal health care fraud charges for falsely certifying that Medicare patients were terminally ill, and therefore qualified for hospice care, when the vast majority of them were not actually dying.

Following a two-week trial, the doctors were found guilty of participating in a scheme related to the Covina-based California Hospice Care (CHC). Between March 2009 and June 2013, CHC submitted approximately $8.8 million in fraudulent bills to Medicare and Medi-Cal for hospice-related services, and the public health programs paid nearly $7.4 million to CHC.

The two doctors convicted today by a federal jury are:

• Sri Wijegoonaratna, known as Dr. J., 61, of Anaheim, who was found guilty of seven counts of health care fraud; and
• Boyao Huang, 43, of Pasadena, who was found guilty of four counts of health care fraud.