Palin: Obama's "Death Panel" Could Kill My Down Syndrome Baby

Why do we need health care insurance reform?

People with Down syndrome have been and continue to be discriminated against with regard to access to health insurance, solely on the basis of the diagnosis of Down syndrome and without consideration of their individual health status or health histories.

For those people with Down syndrome who do have congential or other health conditions requiring medical intervention, insurance companies have denied them access because of their preexisting conditions.

The whole issue of access to health insurance places an extraordinary burden on families and persons with Down syndrome and other disabilities. Families and adults with Down syndrome are forced to consider issues of obtaining or maintaining health insurance coverage above career and other significant life decisions. Even when they are able to access health insurance coverage, the financial cost can be exorbitant.

Both historically and within the context of reform movements, people with Down syndrome and other disabilities face considerable challenges to accessing quality care. People with Down syndrome are entitled to receive any and all treatments that are medically indicated. Proposed health care delivery systems which involve rationing of services threaten to have a disproportionately negative impact on persons with disabilities. Quality of life defined by persons without disabilities is not an acceptable rationing criterion.

http://www.ndsccenter.org/resources/position6.php