Hospitals will also be gaining more money as these patients are provided and charged for
medical care, meaning that the government will make more in tax revenue. In a study of
terminally ill patients it was stated that very few would choose PAS if I came to it (Emanuel).
The rigorous application process that patients must go through will take time and resourced in
addition to their it’s stated that “legalizing PSA will undoubtedly lead to investigations and
prosecutions of physicians who are suspected of violating safeguards. All of this would lead to
increased medical and legal costs associated with PSA and reduce from the projected net
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savings” (Smith para. 4). There will be savings on end of life care, but those saving will be taken
by the costs and resources of applying for PAS.
Both sides of this issue show interesting economic costs and benefits that may
affect one's view on the issue. What it really comes down to is weather or not the costs outweigh
the benefits.
Policy Recommendation
The issue of PAS does not have an easy answer, but based on the findings in this paper
the best option is to set a federal law allowing all states to offer Death with Dignity laws. With
these laws physicians will be allowed to provide assisted suicide to terminal patients. In order to
allow these patients PAS the patient must qualify under a list of requirements. Similar to the
Oregon death with dignity laws, the patients must be a United States citizen, eighteen years old,
able to make and communicate health care decisions and be diagnosed with an incurable or
irreversible illness that will lead to death in at least six months. If the patient qualifies under all
of the conditions listed above the patient can request their doctor prescribe the lethal medication.
For this to happen the patient must follow a procedure of requesting PAS much like the Oregon
Death with Dignity laws. According to the Oregon laws “First the patient must make two oral
requests to his physician, separated by at least 15 days. the patient must provide a written,
witnessed request to his physician (two witnesses). Secondly the prescribing physician and a
consulting physician must confirm the diagnosis and prognosis the prescribing physician and a
consulting physician must determine whether the patient is capable. Third if either physician
believes the patient's judgment is impaired by a psychiatric or psychological disorder, he must
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refer the patient for a psychological examination. Fourth the prescribing physician must inform
the patient of feasible alternatives to assisted suicide, including comfort care, hospice care, and
pain control; and finally the prescribing physician must request, but may not require, the patient
to notify his next-of-kin of the prescription request (Norman-Eady). With these safeguards and
requirements physicians will know that the patient truly wants this option and then will offer the
patient the lethal medication. As stated earlier in the paper, allowing PAS will be the best option
in this case. The patients in America who truly want this
