My father passed away today.

My father died tonight. Not because he was declared dead by by a doctor, but because the 'law' said so, and because the Hospital, without permission nor consultation of the family, via the decision of an 'Ethics Panel' of lawyers said that it was economically infeasible for Medicare, under the new Obamacare law, to keep someone alive who was over the age of 75 (My father was 90). The potential to recover was not a consideration.

Apparently, under US Federal Law under the Obamacare Law (The Patient Extermination and Financial Ruin Act, as I call it), a penal of 'ethicists' (all of which are lawyers and none of which are doctors) at a hospital gets to say who lives and dies regardless of the medical facts.

This means you can be literally 'euthanized' while you are a live, conscious and kicking just because you are over a certain age. No kidding. No joke.

I am very sad to hear of your loss Romanoffia, I don't know much about the politics behind Obamacare etc though.

So sorry to hear the news.

That is frightening, essentially doing a "cost/benefit analysis" on delivering healthcare. 75 is not that old, considering many people are pushing back retirement and working well into their 70s. And how about this - what if a wealthy patient paid for treatment out of his own pocket? Would the hospital refuse?

Sorry for your loss Romanoffia. When will the service be? I would like to send my condolences to you privately at that time. Even though we all know death comes eventually, it is always a shock and a personal tragedy.

I think the prospect of death panels is among the best arguments against euthanasia.

I'm very sorry to hear what happened to your father.

I don't see how the law could have allowed it.

I'm very sorry, Roman.

I won't justify what seems to be a moral and medical error.

But I'm alive partly because a National health system paid for my treatment when I was 11, my family was evicted and there was no way I could afford it; it saved the leg of a Malian kid I was taking care of in one of the inmigrant centres I was working in, and now it is keeping alive my cousin who is receiving chemotherapy after three days sedated when all hope was lost.

In this, you're right, that needs to be fixed, and I feel your loss. But, by my experience, I would be ungrateful to talk against a National health system as a whole.

Be strong.

Really sorry man.

And for the news, you need to do something about this, this is just absolutely wrong.

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss.

My deepest condolences. I cannot begin to imagine what you are feeling, as my father is alive. The system is clearly corrupt in some way, as are all things. We must work to right them and prevent something like this happening again.