A living will is not euthanasia

I agree with Herman Schmidt’s letter (CR, Aug. 13), in which he is troubled by Richard Montalto’s letter (CR, Aug. 6), which states that Congress will pass a health plan in which the intention is not reform, but socialistic medical delivery system. Nothing could be better misstated.We can thank President Lyndon Johnson for the final passing of Medicare, good in any state for all citizens over 65 who have paid into it. If Seniors didn’t have Medicare, our health bills would be astronomical. Private health care is operated for a profit and the overall costs are far higher. Private health care differs state by state – Medicare doesn’t.Another misstatement is Deacon Montalto’s assertion that somehow a living will is code for euthanasia. Congress only wanted the elderly to state if they wanted to be kept alive by feeding tubes, artificial life-preserving means. When there is no response from our loved ones a living will is almost a most. The Catholic Church recognizes living wills and they are not labeled euthanasia.