General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTreatment plans in AL and WA exclude those with mental illness, dementia
https://www.propublica.org/article/people-with-intellectual-disabilities-may-be-denied-lifesaving-care-under-these-plans-as-coronavirus-spreadsDisaster preparedness plans in Washington and Alabama say people with cognitive issues are a lower priority for lifesaving treatment. Disability advocacy organizations have asked the federal government to clarify the plans.
Several disability advocacy organizations filed complaints this week with the civil rights division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, asking the federal government to clarify provisions of the disaster preparedness plans for the states of Washington and Alabama.
The advocates say the plans discriminate against people with intellectual disabilities by deprioritizing this group in the event of rationing of medical care specifically, access to ventilators, which are in high demand in treating COVID-19 cases. More than 7 million people in the U.S. have some form of cognitive disability.
Some state plans make clear that people with cognitive issues are a lower priority for lifesaving treatment. For instance, Alabamas plan says that persons with severe mental retardation, advanced dementia or severe traumatic brain injury may be poor candidates for ventilator support. Another part says that persons with severe or profound mental retardation, moderate to severe dementia, or catastrophic neurological complications such as persistent vegetative state are unlikely candidates for ventilator support.
Zoonart
(11,876 posts)When we were put through the internet spanking machine for calling them nazis?
Good times.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,400 posts)Massacure
(7,525 posts)Say you have five people in your emergency department: a 79 year old with moderate dementia, a 51 year old with high blood pressure and high cholesterol but no other heart disease, an extremely healthy 26 year old NBA player, a 21 year old diabetic, and a 17 year old with down syndrome. All five patients are in respiratory failure and you have two available ventilators. Who do you intubate? Who gets a third one of it becomes available before they pass?
tulipsandroses
(5,124 posts)The Federal Govt needs to step up and make sure ventilators and other needed supplies are available so that healthcare workers do not have to make such awful choices. This is indeed a war, and without help from the federal govt so many will lose.
Trump is such a narcissist that he is willing to hold up aid because the governors have not been nice enough to him.
progree
(10,911 posts)Of The Third Reich" as other categories of Untermensch)
JCMach1
(27,570 posts)That is going to be a heavy burden enough for professionals to bear. And no, it's not eugenics.
Who is going to get the respirator...? A 20 year old, or a 70yo patient with dementia and a heart issue. You make the call... You only have one open