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Cutting Through the Hoopla

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Our own Doug Ulman was featured in The Washington Post today as a part of an ongoing conversation about health care reform. In his article, Doug asks us to cut through the rumors and remind our leaders that cancer is the number one cause of death for Americans ages 65-74.

Cutting Through the Hoopla
-Doug Ulman, CEO of the Lance Armstrong Foundation-

Throughout this week, we’ve seen seniors turn out in force all over America at town hall meetings focused on health-care reform. Plenty of them look upset. Who can blame them? They’ve heard talk of ‘death panels’, rationing and similarly malignant rumors.

And they have a right to be anxious. If vital services are being twisted into sinister-sounding practices for political purposes, who wouldn’t be concerned? But for many seniors, these services may be a great comfort and support mechanism…Read the full article

  • Sharon Burton

    Hey all, As much as I love this blog, I’m surprised the LAF decided to weigh in on this.

    I’d like to recommend that you tread carefully about these Seniors you seem to think have been fed a line. You are seriously underestimating this age groups’ intelligence here. These Seniors (including me) have actually READ the bills being discussed. We aren’t a bunch of feeble minded, panic stricken geriatrics being fed “malignant rumors”. Frankly, I resent the implication that we are responding in that fashion.

    You need to actually read the bills, not just read the highlights via articles, websites, talking point papers and other media sources all of which cover ONLY the “great comfort and support” charactaristics. WE HAVE READ THEM. Why do you think even AARP leadership (previously our most trusted advocate on all Senior issues) is getting such severe push back from its own members on this? Both bills have major problems, ESPECIALLY for anyone over age 59 or anyone with a chronic health condition.

    Your article was somewhat generic, but the last thing I want, or need, in presevering my personal dignity or quality of life is discussing end of life issues/care with someone who is not my Doctor, Clergyman, or a family member unles I REQUEST it. I don’t think you’d like that either.

    PLEASE READ THESE BILLS thoroughly(all 400 and some pages each) before continuing to advocate support for this!