Expensive surgical operations should be denied to the very elderly where they are not life critical?

On average, everyone disagrees with nonconsensus between 243 voters.

Reasons To Disagree

Quality of life is as important in elder ages as in youth.

Who would be responsible for this decision. I am 60 nad would hate to have a hospital person make such a huge choice for me

Depends on Quality Years of Life afforded by such treatment. QualYs are a statistical analysis tool that can be used to make this policy decision fairly.

Third World thinking! Additionally, these people have probably paid more tax dollars over their lifetimes than younger people, so they should be even more entitled to medical care.

Euthinasia should be a legalised choice/option - even elderly people feel pain and discomfort and we all know that we cannot live forever at this level of our consciousness - so ones humanity should be respected at every cycle of ones life

not denied but they should be last on the list

Treated equal??

All effort should be made to have an elderly person stay indepent and mobile for as long as possible.That means, eye,knee and hip operations are very much in priority.

These people have paid taxes, fought wars for our liberty, bought us Xmas prsesnts when we were kids. It is an honour to look after our elders.

Reasons To Agree

It is abhorrent that people be forced to pay for state medical insurance, then the state decide their Qual.O.Life does not warrant state expenditure.

Regretably - yes! We cannot afford state of the art treatment for everybody regardless of cost. There HAS to be a rational rationing system clearly spelled out.

I semi agree, its their choice whether or not they want to do surgery... BUT its a waste of resources to be using on the elderly. No offence :)

I'm an oldie, and I agree. Even if they ARE life critical. You gotta go sometimne.

Criteria for this must be very specific, and appeals must be allowed.