The Obama administration is set to implement a new policy that will give doctors the permission to end patients' lives with their consent.
The new policy -- outlined in a Medicare regulation -- will be executed from January 1.
Under the program, the US administration will pay doctors who are willing to discuss the option of end-of-life plans with patients that are approaching death.
Seniors are believed to be a major target for precious resources under the Obama administration's healthcare plan.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the plan would cut nearly USD 500 million in Medicare benefits to seniors as the federal government adds 30 million uninsured Americans to private and public healthcare systems.
Critics say it is yet another attempt to limit healthcare options for the elderly as they face serious illness.
Earlier on Sunday, the New York Times critics slammed the White House for the plan, suggesting that the new policy has been resurrected through the Obama administration's rule-making.
However, the White House argued on Sunday that the end-of-life plan was not new to healthcare services provided by the government.
" This benefit was signed into law under President Bush. The only thing new here is a regulation allowing the discussions -- authorized in 2003 by the prescription drug benefit -- to happen in the context of the new annual wellness visit created by the Affordable Care Act," White House spokesman Reid Cherlin said.
Sarah Palin, the 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate has labeled the plan "Obama's death panels."
FoxNews reported that supporters of the plan have been advising against advertising the new plan for now.
"While we are very happy with the result, we won't be shouting it from the rooftops because we aren't out of the woods yet," reads a November e-mail from the office of Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., obtained by The New York Times.
"This regulation could be modified or reversed, especially if Republican leaders try to use this small provision to perpetuate the 'death panel' myth," Blumenauer reportedly added.
MD/CS/AKM
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