Medicare to cover end-of-life counseling

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By LAURAN NEERGAARD

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare said Friday it will pay doctors to help patients plan what kind of care they want at the end of life, an idea more broadly accepted than six years ago when it touched off a political uproar about "death panels."

The policy change was urged by numerous physician and health groups. Some doctors provide this "advance care planning" to their patients without getting paid for the counseling time, and some private insurers already reimburse for it.

But the Obama administration's policy change could make the talks more common among about 55 million Medicare beneficiaries.

The rule, proposed last summer and finalized Friday as part of broader doctor-payment regulations, takes effect Jan. 1. The counseling is entirely voluntary, and could take place during seniors' annual wellness visit or during regular office visits.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/a85e77c4efc84617b415b29200def282/medicare-cover-end-life-counseling

[Javaman]

1. Bahhhhhh!!!! death panels!!!! Bahhhhh!!!

just wait for the shrill from the right wing.

[LiberalArkie]

3. First thing I thought of was DEATH PANELS... I wish they would let us choose when to croak.

[Mr.Bill]

2. Maybe this will make Sarah Palin jump in the race

with an "I told you so" campaign. This could be hilarious.

[TexasBushwhacker]

4. It's about damned time

Personally, I think living will/medical POA firms should be included in everyone's Medicare enrollment packet.

[houston16revival]

5. This is a sorely needed change

Families and patients facing terminal illness need to know their options

Some use denial, religion, medical quackery, alternative treatments and
cling to the hope of cure.

If doctors are not paid for it, the counseling will not happen in most cases.

Patients' lives are improved with proper choices. Hospice for example, brings
with it a caring community of medical personnel as well as volunteers, who are
far cheaper than hiring private market companions, nurses aids, and certified
caregivers.

Families are not experts in the choices that are available. I didn't know what
oncology was, and had never heard of hospice. Doctors never mentioned the latter,
nor gave guidance about expected survival time. If you don't ask for these things,
silence may be the most you will receive.

[WinkyDink]

6. Hospitals get black marks and fine$ if their Medicare patients are re-admitted within 30 days. I'm

just sayin'.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/story/2012-06-11/hospice-marketing-Medicare/55120284/1