Advocates for people with intellectual disabilities are outraged that some states may deny lifesaving treatment to those with cognitive issues as hospitals are strapped for resources amid the coronavirus outbreak. Several groups have already made complaints this week to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, saying that vague plans in states like Washington and Alabama open the door to discrimination against the intellectually disabled because they allow for certain groups to be prioritized in getting access to ventilators, a critical part of treating severe cases of COVID-19.
Alabama’s plan states that “persons with severe mental retardation, advanced dementia or severe traumatic brain injury may be poor candidates for ventilator support,” according to ProPublica. It also says that “persons with severe or profound mental retardation, moderate to severe dementia, or catastrophic neurological complications such as persistent vegetative state are unlikely candidates for ventilator support.” In Arizona, medical officials are told to “allocate resources to patients whose need is greater or whose prognosis is more likely to result in a positive outcome with limited resources.”
Read it at ProPublica
