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Local Community Debate – Colorado End of life Options – online debate
04/12/2023 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm MDT
Local Focus: Colorado
de·bate| dəˈbāt | – noun – A highly structured conversation in which a group of people think together, listen to one another, and are open to being changed by ideas.
Resolution: Coloradoans’ right to access medical aid in dying should take precedence over healthcare system policies and providers’ personal values.
Yes or No, what is your response to this Resolution, and why?
The Colorado End-of-Life Options Act went into effect on December 16, 2016, authorizing medical aid in dying for terminally ill adults to get a prescription they can take to end their suffering peacefully.
Unfortunately, accessing the law has often proven cumbersome for patients and families during such difficult times. Individual
physicians, entire healthcare systems, and hospices can opt out of providing or discussing this option based on conscience or religious grounds. Coloradans are often left to navigate a complex healthcare system as there are no published referral lists of healthcare providers who are supportive. The cost of medication has also been a deterrent as insurance is not required to cover the medication, Medicaid (Colorado Health First) does not cover it; and Medicare and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are prohibited by federal law from covering the prescription.
This debate welcomes those who are supportive, unsupportive, or just want to learn more about the current law provisions. Come hear the experiences of how a variety of Coloradans have navigated the law.
In order for the law to apply, the following criterion must be met:
- Prognosis of 6 months or less
- Mental capacity to make an informed decision
- Physical capacity to request, self administer and digest the medication
- Meets CO residency requirement and is 18 years or older
About this Event
You probably haven’t experienced anything like a Braver Angels Debate. It’s not a political debate, where competing candidates attempt to win votes. Nor is it a competitive high school or college debate, where people advocate positions in which they may not believe for the sole purpose of vanquishing their foes.
A Braver Angels Debate is a highly structured conversation in which a group of people think together, listen carefully to one another, and allow themselves to be touched and perhaps changed by each other’s ideas. When done well, everyone walks out a little closer to the truth, more aware of the validity in opposing views, and with tighter community relationships.
Braver Angels’ Debates might help you understand the debate process that we use.
Braver Angels events may be recorded, and may be shared with media or used in Braver Angels publications, including web pages. Participants who object to this may disable their video.
Registration for this debate will be closed 1 hours prior to the scheduled starting time. Group registration is not enabled for this debate. If you would like to participate online in the virtual company of others, we recommend that you coordinate the timing of your registration and ask that individuals register for themselves.
** This event is open to the media upon approval. Media contact: Ciaran O’Connor, ciaran@braverangels.org
This workshop is a free event brought to you by Braver Angels as part of our mission to depolarize America. Braver Angels is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. We invite you to consider a gift to Braver Angels; all donations are tax deductible. Your support will allow us to offer more workshops and debates with the ultimate goal of uniting America. Click here to donate.
