Health care: Don’t forget life support patients

As you watch your friend’s ventilator be turned off, look him in the eye and think about the life being cut short — all because of reductions to Medicaid. Expand this scenario to include the hundreds of patients living on ventilators in Washington state, and consider that none of them — figuratively or physically — can speak for themselves. Does that seem fair to you?

There are just six nursing homes in the state — four of them in Western Washington — that care for people living on ventilators. They may all be hurt significantly if expansive cuts to Medicaid are made.

Advocacy groups have already made an impact (Re: “Senate rejects broad Obamacare repeal bill”, TNT, 7/25), but terminally ill patients still need continuous support in the coming months.

Now more than ever, Washington’s elected officials should reject legislation that includes any decreases in Medicaid funding.

This story was originally published July 30, 2017 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Health care: Don’t forget life support patients."