OT: Anyone hear the NPR interview about the person getting dependant care coverage from parents

[CA renter]

Great series of posts, eavesdropper.

[ocrenter]

[quote=CA renter]Great series of posts, eavesdropper.[/quote]

excellent posts to eavesdropper.

here’s a good link to the approx cost of dying these days: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/19/60minutes/main5711689_page3.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

from the article:

Charlie Haggart is 68 years old and suffering from liver and kidney failure. He wants a double transplant, which would cost about $450,000. But doctors have told him he’s currently too weak to be a candidate for the procedure.

At a meeting with Haggart’s family and his doctors, Dr. Byock raised the awkward question of what should be done if he got worse and his heart or lungs were to give out.

He said that all of the available data showed that CPR very rarely works on someone in Haggart’s condition, and that it could lead to a drawn out death in the ICU.

“Either way you decide, we will honor your choice, and that’s the truth,” Byock reassured Haggart. “Should we do CPR if your heart were to suddenly stop?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“You’d be okay with being in the ICU again?” Byock asked.

“Yes,” Haggart said.

After we finished this story, we received word that Charlie Haggart, the patient who was hoping for a liver and kidney transplant, died this week at a hospital in Vermont.

His brother said Haggart’s condition had deteriorated so much the family decided that no attempts would be made to resuscitate him.

[ocrenter]

[quote=CA renter]Great series of posts, eavesdropper.[/quote]

excellent posts to eavesdropper.

here’s a good link to the approx cost of dying these days: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/19/60minutes/main5711689_page3.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

from the article:

Charlie Haggart is 68 years old and suffering from liver and kidney failure. He wants a double transplant, which would cost about $450,000. But doctors have told him he’s currently too weak to be a candidate for the procedure.

At a meeting with Haggart’s family and his doctors, Dr. Byock raised the awkward question of what should be done if he got worse and his heart or lungs were to give out.

He said that all of the available data showed that CPR very rarely works on someone in Haggart’s condition, and that it could lead to a drawn out death in the ICU.

“Either way you decide, we will honor your choice, and that’s the truth,” Byock reassured Haggart. “Should we do CPR if your heart were to suddenly stop?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“You’d be okay with being in the ICU again?” Byock asked.

“Yes,” Haggart said.

After we finished this story, we received word that Charlie Haggart, the patient who was hoping for a liver and kidney transplant, died this week at a hospital in Vermont.

His brother said Haggart’s condition had deteriorated so much the family decided that no attempts would be made to resuscitate him.

[ocrenter]

[quote=CA renter]Great series of posts, eavesdropper.[/quote]

excellent posts to eavesdropper.

here’s a good link to the approx cost of dying these days: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/19/60minutes/main5711689_page3.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

from the article:

Charlie Haggart is 68 years old and suffering from liver and kidney failure. He wants a double transplant, which would cost about $450,000. But doctors have told him he’s currently too weak to be a candidate for the procedure.

At a meeting with Haggart’s family and his doctors, Dr. Byock raised the awkward question of what should be done if he got worse and his heart or lungs were to give out.

He said that all of the available data showed that CPR very rarely works on someone in Haggart’s condition, and that it could lead to a drawn out death in the ICU.

“Either way you decide, we will honor your choice, and that’s the truth,” Byock reassured Haggart. “Should we do CPR if your heart were to suddenly stop?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“You’d be okay with being in the ICU again?” Byock asked.

“Yes,” Haggart said.

After we finished this story, we received word that Charlie Haggart, the patient who was hoping for a liver and kidney transplant, died this week at a hospital in Vermont.

His brother said Haggart’s condition had deteriorated so much the family decided that no attempts would be made to resuscitate him.

[ocrenter]

[quote=CA renter]Great series of posts, eavesdropper.[/quote]

excellent posts to eavesdropper.

here’s a good link to the approx cost of dying these days: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/19/60minutes/main5711689_page3.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

from the article:

Charlie Haggart is 68 years old and suffering from liver and kidney failure. He wants a double transplant, which would cost about $450,000. But doctors have told him he’s currently too weak to be a candidate for the procedure.

At a meeting with Haggart’s family and his doctors, Dr. Byock raised the awkward question of what should be done if he got worse and his heart or lungs were to give out.

He said that all of the available data showed that CPR very rarely works on someone in Haggart’s condition, and that it could lead to a drawn out death in the ICU.

“Either way you decide, we will honor your choice, and that’s the truth,” Byock reassured Haggart. “Should we do CPR if your heart were to suddenly stop?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“You’d be okay with being in the ICU again?” Byock asked.

“Yes,” Haggart said.

After we finished this story, we received word that Charlie Haggart, the patient who was hoping for a liver and kidney transplant, died this week at a hospital in Vermont.

His brother said Haggart’s condition had deteriorated so much the family decided that no attempts would be made to resuscitate him.

[ocrenter]

[quote=CA renter]Great series of posts, eavesdropper.[/quote]

excellent posts to eavesdropper.

here’s a good link to the approx cost of dying these days: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/19/60minutes/main5711689_page3.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

from the article:

Charlie Haggart is 68 years old and suffering from liver and kidney failure. He wants a double transplant, which would cost about $450,000. But doctors have told him he’s currently too weak to be a candidate for the procedure.

At a meeting with Haggart’s family and his doctors, Dr. Byock raised the awkward question of what should be done if he got worse and his heart or lungs were to give out.

He said that all of the available data showed that CPR very rarely works on someone in Haggart’s condition, and that it could lead to a drawn out death in the ICU.

“Either way you decide, we will honor your choice, and that’s the truth,” Byock reassured Haggart. “Should we do CPR if your heart were to suddenly stop?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“You’d be okay with being in the ICU again?” Byock asked.

“Yes,” Haggart said.

After we finished this story, we received word that Charlie Haggart, the patient who was hoping for a liver and kidney transplant, died this week at a hospital in Vermont.

His brother said Haggart’s condition had deteriorated so much the family decided that no attempts would be made to resuscitate him.

[bearishgurl]

ocrenter, good article! I did not see the show. From reading it, I gathered that hospitals have no qualms about keeping a terminally ill patient (with no advance directive) in ICU at an average cost of $10K per day, partly to cover their a$$es and partly to keep afloat and pay off their bonds.

I don’t know about how much Medicare allows for hospice but I have had younger relatives on health plans that only allowed $10K for hospice. They both went into hospice when death was absolutely imminent because they did not want to burden their families with uncovered bills for months of hospice care (home or institutional). If the insurance industry upped the “hospice” benefit to say, $30K or $50K, I think more terminally ill people (ineligible for Medicare) would choose to go home and make themselves comfortable in their last weeks/months instead of go thru extra useless treatments and days/weeks in the hospital. Don’t quote me but I believe the cost of home hospice care is around $4K to $7K per month, depending on locale.

This is certainly preferable and a lot cheaper for taxpayers.

[bearishgurl]

ocrenter, good article! I did not see the show. From reading it, I gathered that hospitals have no qualms about keeping a terminally ill patient (with no advance directive) in ICU at an average cost of $10K per day, partly to cover their a$$es and partly to keep afloat and pay off their bonds.

I don’t know about how much Medicare allows for hospice but I have had younger relatives on health plans that only allowed $10K for hospice. They both went into hospice when death was absolutely imminent because they did not want to burden their families with uncovered bills for months of hospice care (home or institutional). If the insurance industry upped the “hospice” benefit to say, $30K or $50K, I think more terminally ill people (ineligible for Medicare) would choose to go home and make themselves comfortable in their last weeks/months instead of go thru extra useless treatments and days/weeks in the hospital. Don’t quote me but I believe the cost of home hospice care is around $4K to $7K per month, depending on locale.

This is certainly preferable and a lot cheaper for taxpayers.

[bearishgurl]

ocrenter, good article! I did not see the show. From reading it, I gathered that hospitals have no qualms about keeping a terminally ill patient (with no advance directive) in ICU at an average cost of $10K per day, partly to cover their a$$es and partly to keep afloat and pay off their bonds.

I don’t know about how much Medicare allows for hospice but I have had younger relatives on health plans that only allowed $10K for hospice. They both went into hospice when death was absolutely imminent because they did not want to burden their families with uncovered bills for months of hospice care (home or institutional). If the insurance industry upped the “hospice” benefit to say, $30K or $50K, I think more terminally ill people (ineligible for Medicare) would choose to go home and make themselves comfortable in their last weeks/months instead of go thru extra useless treatments and days/weeks in the hospital. Don’t quote me but I believe the cost of home hospice care is around $4K to $7K per month, depending on locale.

This is certainly preferable and a lot cheaper for taxpayers.

[bearishgurl]

ocrenter, good article! I did not see the show. From reading it, I gathered that hospitals have no qualms about keeping a terminally ill patient (with no advance directive) in ICU at an average cost of $10K per day, partly to cover their a$$es and partly to keep afloat and pay off their bonds.

I don’t know about how much Medicare allows for hospice but I have had younger relatives on health plans that only allowed $10K for hospice. They both went into hospice when death was absolutely imminent because they did not want to burden their families with uncovered bills for months of hospice care (home or institutional). If the insurance industry upped the “hospice” benefit to say, $30K or $50K, I think more terminally ill people (ineligible for Medicare) would choose to go home and make themselves comfortable in their last weeks/months instead of go thru extra useless treatments and days/weeks in the hospital. Don’t quote me but I believe the cost of home hospice care is around $4K to $7K per month, depending on locale.

This is certainly preferable and a lot cheaper for taxpayers.

[bearishgurl]

ocrenter, good article! I did not see the show. From reading it, I gathered that hospitals have no qualms about keeping a terminally ill patient (with no advance directive) in ICU at an average cost of $10K per day, partly to cover their a$$es and partly to keep afloat and pay off their bonds.

I don’t know about how much Medicare allows for hospice but I have had younger relatives on health plans that only allowed $10K for hospice. They both went into hospice when death was absolutely imminent because they did not want to burden their families with uncovered bills for months of hospice care (home or institutional). If the insurance industry upped the “hospice” benefit to say, $30K or $50K, I think more terminally ill people (ineligible for Medicare) would choose to go home and make themselves comfortable in their last weeks/months instead of go thru extra useless treatments and days/weeks in the hospital. Don’t quote me but I believe the cost of home hospice care is around $4K to $7K per month, depending on locale.

This is certainly preferable and a lot cheaper for taxpayers.

[bearishgurl]

I just watched the 60-Minutes video from 9/19/10 entitled: The Cost of Dying: End-of-Life Care.

I have a couple of comments.

First, it stated the cancer drug, “Avastin” costs $55K (for a 30-day supply?) and only prolongs life on average of 45 days (roughly the amount of time spent taking the drug). Yet, Medicare will pay for it. IMHO, this drug is one of the most toxic biologic agents available that is used on humans. It’s side effects can be beyond horrible and can increase complications at the time of death.

The second refers to the statement that was made that the (HCRA of 2010) “reduces Medicare payments for hospice programs that studies have shown to be very cost efficient.”

IMO, this, in an of itself, is at the crux of the mounting Medicare end-of-life costs to taxpayers.

[bearishgurl]

I just watched the 60-Minutes video from 9/19/10 entitled: The Cost of Dying: End-of-Life Care.

I have a couple of comments.

First, it stated the cancer drug, “Avastin” costs $55K (for a 30-day supply?) and only prolongs life on average of 45 days (roughly the amount of time spent taking the drug). Yet, Medicare will pay for it. IMHO, this drug is one of the most toxic biologic agents available that is used on humans. It’s side effects can be beyond horrible and can increase complications at the time of death.

The second refers to the statement that was made that the (HCRA of 2010) “reduces Medicare payments for hospice programs that studies have shown to be very cost efficient.”

IMO, this, in an of itself, is at the crux of the mounting Medicare end-of-life costs to taxpayers.

[bearishgurl]

I just watched the 60-Minutes video from 9/19/10 entitled: The Cost of Dying: End-of-Life Care.

I have a couple of comments.

First, it stated the cancer drug, “Avastin” costs $55K (for a 30-day supply?) and only prolongs life on average of 45 days (roughly the amount of time spent taking the drug). Yet, Medicare will pay for it. IMHO, this drug is one of the most toxic biologic agents available that is used on humans. It’s side effects can be beyond horrible and can increase complications at the time of death.

The second refers to the statement that was made that the (HCRA of 2010) “reduces Medicare payments for hospice programs that studies have shown to be very cost efficient.”

IMO, this, in an of itself, is at the crux of the mounting Medicare end-of-life costs to taxpayers.

[bearishgurl]

I just watched the 60-Minutes video from 9/19/10 entitled: The Cost of Dying: End-of-Life Care.

I have a couple of comments.

First, it stated the cancer drug, “Avastin” costs $55K (for a 30-day supply?) and only prolongs life on average of 45 days (roughly the amount of time spent taking the drug). Yet, Medicare will pay for it. IMHO, this drug is one of the most toxic biologic agents available that is used on humans. It’s side effects can be beyond horrible and can increase complications at the time of death.

The second refers to the statement that was made that the (HCRA of 2010) “reduces Medicare payments for hospice programs that studies have shown to be very cost efficient.”

IMO, this, in an of itself, is at the crux of the mounting Medicare end-of-life costs to taxpayers.

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