Although intended to be a pejorative term, the term “death panel” accurately reflects decisions that have to be made about whom to save when resources are scarce. We simply do not have the resources to provide as much health care as people might desire for prolonging their lives or the lives of their loved ones. If government pays for health care, as it does for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, limited funds necessitate that sometimes people will be denied access to care. If the decision of who does and who does not get care is not made explicitly by an appointed committee, it will be made by default as scarcity necessitates that some must wait in line for health care.
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