Clinic Opens in California Offering to Kill Patients

On the very day California's new legislation takes effect allowing "assisted suicide," a clinic has opened offering to help kill those who want the "right to die," according to Legalinsurrection.com.

Dr. Lonny Shavelson, proprietor of the new clinic, is intended to help those 'patients' who are unable to find a doctor or a doctor who will participate in the new law. The legislation requires would-be suicides, required to have a terminal diagnosis with six months or less of life, to submit three requests for lethal drugs. Only one of the requests must be in writing.

Medicare will pay for assisted suicide discussions according to Legal Insurrection. But Medicare only covers a fraction of the cost to doctors of the necessary number of visits. Shavelson plans to charge a total of $2,000 to help a customer end their life. The initial visit, at a cost of $200, is supposed to evaluate whether the patient "qualifies" for the service. We are unsure if that means whether or not they are mentally aware of the consequences of their actions of if they can pony up the additional $1,800.

Many physicians are unwilling to assist those desiring to commit suicide. Medical Director Thomas Strouse, with UCLA's Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital says, "They say I went to medical school to cure, and I would not want to participate in writing a lethal prescription."

Neither doctors nor hospitals are required to participate in California's "right to die" program.

Apparently at least one is more than happy to profit from the new law.