Obama: Hospitals Must Grant Same-Sex Visitations

[thundley4]

President Obama is ordering hospitals to extend visitation rights to whomever a patient designates, including same-sex partners, tying the requirement to federal funding for Medicare and Medicaid.

"Gay and lesbian Americans are often barred from the bedsides of the partners with whom they have spent decades of their lives -- unable to be there for the person they love," Obama said in a presidential memorandum.

The new visitation policy will apply to more than just same-sex partners. Under the order, patients can designate anyone -- a friend or a distant relative -- to be a surrogate decision-maker.

Hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding will be required to comply.

Gay and lesbian groups have been fighting for years to get hospital visitation rights, which vary by state.

"One person in a hospital can make a huge difference," said Dr. Jason Schneider, former president of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. "So I think this directive gives weight to the importance of recognizing the variety and the breadth of how people define families."

NPR


I wonder how many more hospitals will stop taking Medicare and Medicaid because of this. 

[Lord Undies]

As you may or may not know, I have spent a number of days in the hospital since last July.  Many of those days were spent in an ICU of one sort or the other.  All sorts of folks visited me during this time - some sitting vigil while I was in a coma.  Never once did anyone associated with the hospital ask if these folks were my sex partners.  In fact, the hospital folks figured I or my family should decide who visited me.

Where and when are these gay folks being turned away from a hospital room?  No one is forced to "check in" with the front desk before visitation.  The hospital door is open and so is the room door.  This is one of those "issues" that does not exist except to make people "aware" of homosexual relationships. 

[debk]

Depends on where the hospital is and who runs it.

Many hospitals only allow immediate family members into an ICU. Long time partners, regardless of sexual orientation....do not count as "immediate" family. Nor is that person's opinion regarding the care of the patient, relevant. It is also often, that only the partner really knows the wishes of the patient regarding their medical care.

When M was in the hospital 4 years ago...I had his medical power of attorney that was signed and notarized 3 days before admission. Without that, I would have been blocked from any decision regarding his care....not only by the hospital...but his children could also have blocked me. As it was...with the exception of him signing himself into the hospital, all decisions were made between his doctors and myself. Including who his visitors were....and weren't.

His doctors were aware of our relationship status, but the nursing staff wasn't until a copy of the POA was included into his chart. I was also initially asked to show my driver's license for verification of who I was, and they made a copy of it and included it in his chart too.

His admission was kind of an emergency, but if I hadn't had that POA....and it had been an emergent situation like a car accident or heart attack....I would have been kept out of the ICU, decision making, everything. And I'm the one who knows him best....not his kids, who would have been the ones making the decisions.

[littlelamb]

I guess the way things have been done in the past are now not good enough

[Lord Undies]

Depends on where the hospital is and who runs it.

Many hospitals only allow immediate family members into an ICU. Long time partners, regardless of sexual orientation....do not count as "immediate" family. Nor is that person's opinion regarding the care of the patient, relevant. It is also often, that only the partner really knows the wishes of the patient regarding their medical care.

When M was in the hospital 4 years ago...I had his medical power of attorney that was signed and notarized 3 days before admission. Without that, I would have been blocked from any decision regarding his care....not only by the hospital...but his children could also have blocked me. As it was...with the exception of him signing himself into the hospital, all decisions were made between his doctors and myself. Including who his visitors were....and weren't.

His doctors were aware of our relationship status, but the nursing staff wasn't until a copy of the POA was included into his chart. I was also initially asked to show my driver's license for verification of who I was, and they made a copy of it and included it in his chart too.

His admission was kind of an emergency, but if I hadn't had that POA....and it had been an emergent situation like a car accident or heart attack....I would have been kept out of the ICU, decision making, everything. And I'm the one who knows him best....not his kids, who would have been the ones making the decisions.

To sum it up:  The Federal Buttinsky "Order" is completely unnecessary.  Anyone and everyone is free to assign POA to whomever they wish.  That includes homosexuals.

Practically every homosexual I have known has been an hysterical emotional self-absorbed wreck.  I cannot imagine actually wanting one to be in charge of important life & death decisions.

[vesta111]

To sum it up:  The Federal Buttinsky "Order" is completely unnecessary.  Anyone and everyone is free to assign POA to whomever they wish.  That includes homosexuals.

Practically every homosexual I have known has been an hysterical emotional self-absorbed wreck.  I cannot imagine actually wanting one to be in charge of important life & death decisions.

Lord, A POA is usefull when anyone straight or gay is living or vacationing away from family.

So much can come up on a trip and one may need immediate decisions to be made regarding health and wellfare. 

In my State, for 15 years we were the care givers of Hubby's older brother who could not read or write.  The last 5 years he was with us he spent much time in the hospital, I did not need a POA as I made sure all records stated that I was his care giver and everything was to be passed by me or Hubby.

Then there was the time I was in ICU and my best friend came to visit, my family 3 thousand miles away.  She was told at the desk that only family could visit me, My friend rose to all 5 feet tall and  demanded to know why the Nurse would think we were not family.  My friend was black, I am white , but, she got in to see me and was the most comforting thing, her friendship and care until my family could get to me did more for me then any of the drugs I was given.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I mostly don't care about this one way or the other, but I foresee a significant opportunity for con men to work it to their own advantage.

[debk]

To sum it up:  The Federal Buttinsky "Order" is completely unnecessary.  Anyone and everyone is free to assign POA to whomever they wish.  That includes homosexuals.

Exactly....a hospital is still going to require a POA before allowing anyone but a spouse control over another person.....regardless of what Obama says. A hospital isn't going to allow just anyone to make life/death decisions regarding another without some legal document granting permission, and risk the lawsuit...that you just know someone would file.

Practically every homosexual I have known has been an hysterical emotional self-absorbed wreck.  I cannot imagine actually wanting one to be in charge of important life & death decisions.

I mostly don't care about this one way or the other, but I foresee a significant opportunity for con men to work it to their own advantage.

Sadly....you are most probably right.

[The Village Idiot]

I doubt very many hospitals do that anyway, usually the person in the hospotal gets to pick who can visit them.

[debk]

I doubt very many hospitals do that anyway, usually the person in the hospotal gets to pick who can visit them.

You doubt very many hospitals do what?

Patients in ICU or "restricted" visitation may not be capable of picking who can visit.

[The Village Idiot]

I mostly don't care about this one way or the other, but I foresee a significant opportunity for con men to work it to their own advantage.

Of course

[jinxmchue]

President Obama is ordering hospitals to extend visitation rights to whomever a patient designates, including same-sex partners, tying the requirement to federal funding for Medicare and Medicaid.

Um...  Blackmail is illegal.

[rich_t]

Um...  Blackmail is illegal.

It sure worked for the 55 MPH speed limit.  Illegal or not.

[IassaFTots]

It sure worked for the 55 MPH speed limit.  Illegal or not.

And changing the drinking age to 21.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I wonder how many more hospitals will stop taking Medicare and Medicaid because of this. 

When that starts to become an issue (Much more likely via HCR rather than this, which will likely have a small impact anyway), look for Congress to decide to 'Help' by making it illegal to decline Medicare/Medicaid patients.  Mark my words.

[The Village Idiot]

did you see the stories on the Physician-owned hospitals? About 60 were being built or planned that will be canceled because of HCR.

[Mike220]

The DUmmies have been informed. Let's just say they need to wipe their chins.