Senator Warner hosted a thoughtful discussion yesterday with close to 100 religious leaders, caregivers, and hospice workers to discuss his on-going efforts to improve end-of-life care and advance care planning.

In June, Senator Warner held a similar discussion with faith leaders in the Norfolk area, after he introduced legislation that would provide patients and families with better information on available care options and encourage providers to have more thoughtful conversations and improved services around end of life.  

Since then, controversy has surrounded the issue, with many opponents of health care reform mischaracterizing similiar proposals as government intervention in seniors' life choices.  

As Senator Warner repeated several times yesterday: "This is not about limiting anyone's choices."  He condemned those comments and said he wanted to continue the dialogue to "turn down the heat" and clear those misconceptions surrounding end-of-life proposals:  

"Some of the comments we've seen are embarrassing, outrageous, and outright ignorant or a horrible effort to scare people, and are quite honestly disrespectful of all the families that are struggling with these issues day-in and day-out."

The forum was held in the basement of the Resurrection Lutheran Church in Arlington, and the conversation during the 90-minute session remained civil.  Jackie Calmes from the New York Times was there:

Like most of the 22 people who questioned him or made statements, Mr. Warner had a personal angle on the issue. His mother is among the estimated 70 percent of Americans who, he said, have no directives for care in their final days is. After more than a decade with Alzheimer’s disease, she is incontinent and unable to speak or feed herself.

Countering the critics of end-of-life incentives, Mr. Warner emphasized that the proposals would not limit anyone’s choices or care; an individual would be free to request aggressive treatment to be kept alive, or none. And, he added, the proposals are not aimed at saving the government money by encouraging quick deaths.

“I’ve never seen an issue that’s generated so much misperception and misinformation,” he said.

National Public Radio's Don Gonyea was also there and compiled this report: