Uninsured Latinos Vulnerable to Opting for Doctor Assisted Suicide
El Observador, News Report, Dan Reyes, Posted: May 04, 2006
At its April meeting in New York City, the National Board of Directors of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) voted unanimously to pass a resolution opposing doctor-assisted suicide. Currently AB 651, the California Compassionate Choices Act, has passed in the California State Assembly and is now in the Senate. The act, based on Oregon's assisted-suicide law, would seek to legalize doctor-assisted suicide. LULAC's national board took up the issue at the request of the California LULAC State Board.
According to Angel G. Luévano, state director of California LULAC, the reasons for opposing doctor-assisted suicide go beyond moral and religious objections.
"Latinos are the least likely to have medical insurance," says Luévano. "Many will say, 'I don't have the money and don't want to be a financial burden to my family.' Latinos will be the most likely to be steered into this option."
A resolution opposing the bill was debated and passed at California LULAC's last annual convention. Luévano cites a recent survey of California Latinos, conducted in February, 2006 by the Democratic polling firm, Fairbanks, Maslin & Associate, which indicates that 64 percent of Latinos oppose doctor-assisted suicide.
"The Latino community doesn't want assisted suicide. The disability community does not want assisted suicide. The poor and uninsured do not want assisted suicide. The majority of us are Democrats and we want our representatives to focus on issues like health care, education, and immigration rights - not assisted suicide," says Luévano.
According to its backers, AB 651 was modeled on a similar law that passed in Oregon, which has "safeguards" built into it, including a measure that stipulates that the "patient's attending physician must inform the patient of their medical diagnosis, prognosis, potential risks associated with taking the medication...and provide in writing the feasible alternatives, including comfort care, hospice care, and pain control." Patients must also be evaluated by two different physicians, who will determine if the patient is "mentally capable, fully informed and acting voluntarily."
But Luévano is skeptical of whether these safeguards are put into practice.
"They say they have safeguards, but in reality, they don't check them. It is my impression that they are not rigorously enforced."
A representative of Californians for Compassion Choice did not return out calls by press time.
"We understand that this is a very sensitive issue, but we have vetted this and have voted to oppose it."
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