In a surprise reversal, the Obama administration will not include language about “end of life counseling” in new Medicare regulations, a response to uproar over the inclusion of coverage for what many see as precursors to “death panels.” The administration had planned to include coverage for the counseling via its regulation-writing powers after similar language failed to garner enough support to pass Congress as part of the Affordable Care Act.
The White House official said the administration is now pulling back the language because there wasn’t enough chance for all sides to comment on the change. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss what has turned into an embarrassing episode for the administration.
More here (though it’s especially tendentious, even for a WaPo story).