How to Recognize Death Panels

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PHOENIX -- A Valley man was in the surgery room, prepped and ready for his life-saving liver transplant when doctors told him the state's Medicaid plan wouldn't cover the procedure.
Francisco Felix, who has Hepatitis C, has been on the waiting list for a new liver since April, his wife said. A liver became available and Felix was ready for surgery at Banner Good Samaritan Hospital.
Arizona's medicaid agency, AHCCCS, which has recently cut funding for some services, refused to pay for Felix's surgery.
AHCCCS no longer cover liver transplants but not for patients with Hepatitis C, according to Jennifer Carusett, a spokeswoman for AHCCCS.

The cuts were part of the Republican-lead legislature's plan to balance the budget, which Gov. Jan Brewer signed. The policy change took effect Oct. 1.

"I don't understand how she (Brewer) has the heart ... how this one person can make such a difference to all of us," said Sandra Felix, Francisco Felix's neice.
Democratic lawmakers are demanding a special session to discuss reinstating the transplant funds.
Leah Landrum Taylor, a Democrat who represents District 16 in Phoenix said she was horrified by what happened Tuesday.
"When this vote came before the floor, on the senate, we all spoke about what type of ramification this was going to have. When you slice things like this out of the budget, what we said is you're going to be taking away lives. So you're putting lives in your hands and you're going to decide to take it away. I call it a vote of no mercy," said Landrum Taylor.
Republican Rep. John Kavanaugh, from Fountain Hills, said he believed that lawmakers were going to take up the issue of reinstating transplant cuts first thing when they return to work in January. But he also added that he was not opposed to a special session.
The liver Felix hoped to receive Tuesday was directly donated to him by a family friend who suddenly died Monday. But because Felix could not come up with $200,000 by 10a.m. Tuesday, the liver was given to someone else. Felix went to the hospital hoping AHCCCS would fund the operation on an emergency ruling.
"The liver is gone because we don't have the money. That's why we lost this opportunity. But we have hope that something good is going to come," said his wife, Flor Felix.