Odd observation: Electronic searches of H.R. 3200, ‘”America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009,” find that the word “death” occurs only twice in the bill, on pages 588 and 596.
On page 588, the reference is to fines to a “skilled nursing facility” for lapses in care that result in the death of a patient. On page 596, again the reference is to a fine to a nursing facility for a lapse in care that results in the death of a patient.
In each case in which the word “death” occurs, the context is a fine for causing death.
The word “mortality” occurs once, on page 620. It occurs in a section that requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to set priorities in national health care quality improvement, and to give priority to ideas that “have the greatest potential to decrease morbidity and mortality in this country, including those that are designed to eliminate harm to patients.”
In the only case in which “mortality” occurs, the context calls for reducing mortality.
Don’t take my word for it. Go search the bill yourself.
Critics appear not to have read the bill. When writing fiction, sometimes it’s best not to be bound by reality. However, when one is not bound by reality, one is writing only fiction.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
It looks to me like the critics are writing fiction. I am not.
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Good point. The first mention of “end of life” is in regard to physicians consulting with patients to set up the legal devices to make sure the patient’s wishes are honored near the end of the patient’s life.
The other two mentions are in regard to establishing quality measures for such consultation.
It still looks to me as if the critics are writing fiction. How about you?
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There are three references to “end of life”.
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