A controversial provision of H.R. 3200 would have paid physicians to provide counselling to elderly or terminally ill patients who request the counseling. The provision – ultimately omitted from the passed health reform legislation – would have paid for one counselling session at least every five years, during which patients could discuss advance care planning, advance directives, living wills, palliative care and hospice and possible life-sustaining treatments for the terminally ill. Critics said the proposal would create "death panels" and described its intent as "guiding you in how to die."