Health

overdue step to address the concerning trends in maternal mortality, which disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous women in our country." Though the ACA is at least in a temporary expansion, experts don't expect larger-scale changes to follow. Democrats control both the House and Senate in Congress, but not by a wide enough margin for a required two- thirds majority in the Senate. That could preclude potential changes, such as Biden's campaign goal of having 97% of Americans covered, or Medicare for All, which would put everyone on public insurance plans in a single federal system, or lowering the age of those who qualify for Medicare. "The 97% figure is a realistic goal but a lot of things have to happen to get there," Cole said. Experts don't envision another change first championed by Trump: a significant lowering of prescription drug prices. Trump wasn't also given any type of substantial credit for having accomplished his own drug- price goal. "There wasn't much in a big way done to lower drug prices," Lischko said. Nor does she think Biden is likely to be able to do the same. With drugmakers seen as heroes of sorts for developing COVID-19 vaccines so quickly, she said, the pharmaceutical industry isn't likely to be seen as a villain of sorts as its been in the past, an easy target for the White House or Congress to go after with a sure bet that the move would be widely popular. End-of-life options for terminally ill Health policy changes could also be on the horizon with Massachusetts state legislation on Beacon Hill. One bill would make Massachusetts the 10th state to allow terminally ill patients to end their lives with the help of a physician. The bill, which has been filed before but never made it to a full legislative vote, would put strict measures in place – a patient needs to be at least 18, for example, and given a life expectancy of six months or less. At least one consultation by a licensed mental health professional is mandatory to ensure the patient is capable of making the choice of ending their life, and two witnesses must verify the request – and one can't be a relative or someone who'd be entitled to any portion of the person's estate. Advanced age alone isn't enough to make someone eligible for the aid-in- dying program, which has also been called "death with dignity" or the less euphemestic term "assisted suicide." One of the bill's co-sponsors is Rep. James O'Day, a Worcester Democrat, who said safeguards are in place to ensure a patient's choice to end their life is what they truly wish, something he called a compassionate option for the terminally ill. "These have been going on for the last two decades," O'Day said of similar laws in place elsewhere, the first of which passed in Oregon in 1997. An aid-in-dying program appears to have the support of the Massachusetts public. A November 2019 poll by Suffolk University and The Boston Globe found 70% in favor of allowing physicians to help the terminally ill end their lives, compared to 19% against (others were undecided or didn't answer). Exactly three out of four said they'd want doctors to stop treating them if they had an incurable condition and were in terrible pain, and 66% would do so if they were in a condition in which they were entirely reliant on others. That could indicate public opinion has shifted since an aid-in-dying bill failed at the ballot in 2012 by 2 percentage points. There may be less formal opposition HE A LTH • Spring 2021 5 Join Our Exclusive Executive Club A N D E N J O Y A L L T H E P R I V I L E G E S O F M E M B E R S H I P 3 6 3 P l a n t a t i o n S t r e e t § W o r c e s t e r , M A § 5 0 8 . 7 5 4 . 5 7 8 9 § b e e c h w o o d h o t e l . c o m Don't Miss Out on This Exclusive Offer For a Club Application, contact Marie at (508) 754-5789, or email her at MFlavin@beechwoodhotel.com The Beechwood Executive Club is now accepting applications for Membership » Deeply sanitized environment » High speed 5G Internet access » In-room pull-up green screen for virtual meetings » Private guest room/remote office with TV and in-room bathroom » Free parking » No-hassle priority check-in and check-out » Arrive anytime from 9am* on your scheduled day, with departure by 4:30pm * Should you need earlier arrival on a given day, just let us know and we will be happy to accommodate. Imagine a remote work space that offers you all of the space, safety, and amenities of business class luxury at an affordable price. Should the terminally ill be permitted to end their own lives with the help of a doctor? Yes 70% No 19% Aid in dying support Massachusetts residents were shown in a 2019 Suffolk University poll to support allowing physicians to aid terminally ill patients to end their lives. Source: Compassion & Choices Among age groups... 18-34 Yes: 73% No: 17% 35-44 Yes: 75% No: 14% 45-54 Yes: 68% No: 20% 55-64 Yes: 69% No: 26% 65 and older Yes: 63% No: 21% On the campaign trail, President Joe Biden made an expansion of the Affordable Care Act a key tenet of his platform. Continued on page 6 PHOTO/COURTESY OF U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

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