Editor:
It was with some amazement that I read the headline over the letter stating Congressman Tipton efforts to repeal the death panel, since there is no such thing so no need to repeal it.
This unfortunate term was used erroneously when what is referred to was an item in the Affordable Health Choices Ace of 2009. That would have provided compensation to physicians for counseling Medicare patients about end-of-life decisions. They were already required to do this by the Patient Self-Determination Act (1991). The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 provided reimbursements for end-of-life discussions with terminally ill patients.
These were already in place before the so-called Obama Care debate and legislation took place.
Please, Rep. Brown, dont encourage Congressman Tipton to support something that doesnt exist.
H.R. 5 can be read by going to house.gov, clicking on bills and putting in the number.
Kay Boots
Cortez
Via email