skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

HHS Asked to Rescind End-of-Life Directive Waiver

play audio
Play

Friday, May 1, 2020   

NEW YORK - Advocates for end-of-life care options have written a letter asking the federal Health and Human Services Secretary to reverse a waiver of a federal law that requires patients to be informed of their right to refuse treatment.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued the waiver last week.

According to Kim Callinan, president and CEO of the organization Compassion & Choices, research shows that when given the option, about 80% of seriously ill patients will refuse invasive medical procedures. But with the waiver in effect, fewer people will be asked.

"It's going to make health-care providers ration care for their patients rather than empowering patients to make decisions," says Callinan, "and allowing their decisions to be paramount in end-of-life planning."

She strongly recommends that everyone fill out the state form specifying advance directives for end-of-life care. The forms are available online at compassionandchoices.org.

Corrine Carey is senior campaign director for Compassion & Choices in New York and New Jersey. A few days ago, both she and her husband tested positive for COVID-19.

She says that has raised the level of discussion about end-of-life planning in her household.

"For myself, for my family, it's really important that you know what your loved ones want," says Carey, "and what level of care you want should you be facing a health-care crisis."

To accommodate social-distancing restrictions, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed an executive order easing regulations for documents including end-of-life directives.

Callinan notes that the letter sent to HHS Secretary Alex Azar this week encourages him and Congress to take actions that will benefit both patients and health-care providers.

"Reinstate the Patient Self-Determination Act requirement," says Callinan, "and instead, take some very specific actions that will result in much more widespread adoption of advance-care planning."

She contends that advance directives give providers much-needed guidance, especially when hospital resources are strained by a health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Social Issues

play sound

A mix of policy updates and staffing boosts has helped to put wage theft enforcement on the radar in Minnesota, and officials leading the efforts are …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021