Oklahoma Prohibits Critical Care Clinicians from Stopping Requested Life Support

On Friday. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed House Bill 1403.  This measure is aimed at preventing health-care providers from denying possibly life-extending treatment based on the patient's quality of life.  This makes Oklahoma join Idaho, New York, and other states that I have been calling "red light" states.



Critics of H.B. 1403 said it would make for bad medicine, drive doctors from the state and increase uncompensated medical costs. 



Supporters said it would prevent the denial of care based on the view of a third party that the patient's life is of poor quality or is not worth living.  Oklahomans for Life says "The patient's desire to receive care should be respected even though a third party might question the 'quality' of the patient's life."