Robert Painter on the Texas 'Futile Care' Law

Attorney Robert Painter will address the Houston Disability Elder Law Association on the Texas 'Futile Care' law on Tuesday, October 19, 2010, at 11:45 a.m., at The Downtown Club at the Met, 340 West Dallas Street.  From the press release:

Many Texans are surprised to learn that the Advance Directives Act of 1999 allows a hospital committee to act as a 'death panel' that can override a patient or family's treatment wishes, even to the point of withholding care, treatment, food and water from a patient. Plus, if the committee follows the procedures of this poorly thought-out law, then the committee's actions are fully immune from civil, criminal or administrative prosecution or review.

Is it an exxageration to describe these hospital committees as 'death panels'? I do not think so. After all, in most cases they have the final say over life and death decisions and operate in an environment with more immunity than even government officials.