Aging: Ask your Senator to Co-Sponsor
S. 347
April 15, 2005
Issue
The importance of having a living will has become clear over
the past several months as we have watched a family be torn
apart by the difficulty of end-of-life decisions. The Advance
Directives Improvement and Education Act (S.347) seeks to assist
families in making these arrangements.
S.347 allows Medicare recipients to consult their physician
on end of life and advanced care planning. It provides reimbursement
to physicians for time spent to have such a discussion. Additionally,
the Department of Health and Human Services will receive funding
for a public education campaign for all Americans to become
informed about the importance of advanced directives. Introduced
by Sens. Bill Nelson (D-FL), Dick Lugar (R-IN), Jay Rockefeller
(D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY),
this bill will provide support to people facing life threatening
situations and their families.
Action Requested
A sample letter has been posted on NASW's Congress Web to
e-mail or fax your Senators. Individual telephone numbers,
fax numbers, and e-mail addresses are also available through
NASW's Congress Web: www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/grassroots/congressweb.asp
If your Senator is already a co-sponsor, you can thank them
by composing your own letter or calling their district office.
Background
NASW supports this bill to ensure that all Americans consider,
communicate, and document their long term planning wishes.
Social workers provide services to individuals and their loved
ones affected by serious illness and injury. Many times decisions
need to be made regarding end of life care. Helping individuals
and their families make complicated personal decisions, social
workers are trained in ethical and legal knowledge to provide
information and counseling in difficult times.
NASW supports the right to determine the level of health care,
including decisions about quality of life and end of life care.
The NASW has developed both policy and practice standards for
palliative and end of life care which guide social workers
in the field.
For additional information, please contact Karyn Walsh,
senior policy associate, at kwalsh@naswdc.org or
202-336-8448. |
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