Posted on 08/31/2014 4:03:56 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz
However, the end of life planning should not be foisted on someone, nor should they be forced to include anyone in that decision by the government, and that includes the doctor.
During my Mom's final illness, my Dad and I had many discussions, and we set up the paper work that we would need. After his stroke, he lived with me for 5 years. As a former Paramedic, he had a very good understanding of the procedures that he would be facing.
It was extremely annoying for nurses to take it upon themselves to tell me what I “ought” to do, when it ran contrary to what my Dad wanted. At one point, I told a particularly pushy person that my Dad was a WWII veteran, volunteer fireman, volunteer EMT, and Paramedic.
He risked his life many times saving people in his community, and if he wanted to fight to live a while longer, then I thought that he deserved that chance, and I had promised to abide by his wishes, not theirs.
that happens to..... this is why having it in writing (as a legal document) sometimes helps. Those who throw those conniption fits are concerned about themselves not the one who is passing from this veil of tears
and I don’t disagree
The death panels you refer to are those in Ocare who will be in charge of deciding who gets what treatment.....
This is not really news and already exists in medicare coding
“nor should they be forced to include anyone in that decision by the government, and that includes the doctor....”
Doctors are not forced to do this. It is part of their job to discuss with the family the various possibilities that one is facing. Each family needs the medical information as well as their emotional input.
If one wants every procedure to be done that should be known.....just as it should be known that DNR are in place and what can and can not be done
It is my experience that having it in writing doesn’t really mean much. The doctors seek consensus even in the face of living wills, sign sealed and notarized. It is all done nicely to get the lay of the land and then possibly disrupted in spite of the consensus and living will.
I don’t mean to over emphasize the point but the hall way at the ICU is not a court room. That doesn’t mean the living will will not prevail if pressed however.
A living will is not enough....it is why they have a health care power of attorney. That or a POLST are what you need.
Families can be a very messy thing when end of life is at hand.
I failed to mention the Power of Attorney. Both are good in court but lose standing in a hospital corridor or waiting room
Depends on where you are....that is why the POLST is so important.....these are orders from a physician hence the family input is zero
And I mean those meddlesome supposed do good ears who never were around until this minute.
It is developed with doc and patient and is the standing set of orders
The size of the mess is directly proportional to the cash value of the estate.
One other thing, and the reason I am opposed to visit codes of this sort, when your record is compromised, and it will be, employers and life insurance companies will suddenly disremember you because they don’t know if this is advanced planning for the unforseeable future or for the next six months.
Yes, Nifster, as the article states, even though the AMA, which creates the CODES for Medicare is late to the party, private insurance companies have already provided financial incentives for docs to have these discussions, under Obamacare. My point is not to say the discussions are not appropriate; I am questioning whether GOVERNMENT should pay a doctor for having these discussions. It’s authorized killing.
So coverage for talks about suicide but not for treatment
Docs should get paid when they spend time with patients. These are legitimate consults. Discussing what type of care you want at the end of life is NOT authorized killing. It is giving the patient and the doc all the information necessary to do what the patient wants.
Be more concerned about the true death panels which is the faceless bureaucrat in the Ocare system who will tell you what you cannot have.
Whether it is coded or not, the doc should be getting paid for his consult time.
At least now, the government doesn’t have a say.
But, it is in everyone’s interest to have this discussion and put it in writing.
It saves everyone from having to “guess” what your wishes are.
Exactly!! Our friend Nifster is having trouble with this concept.....
Hey Nifster, Obamacare is just Medicare for the rest of us....except if you are over 65 your doctor gets PAID to discuss ending your life with you. Doctors should have this talk with patients WHETHER OR NOT there is a REIMBURSEMENT CODE from a federal program. Don’t know why you are trying to make a big distinction between Obamacare and Medicare right now. IT’s all the same — gubmint healthcare!!
“Doctors should have this talk with patients WHETHER OR NOT there is a REIMBURSEMENT CODE from a federal program.”
Look you loon I have agreed with this all along. READ what I have written. My only comment is that doctors should be paid for their time. IF you are on medicare there is a code. IF you have your own insurance there is a code. IF you are on Ocare there is a code. Unless you are paying out of pocket someone somewhere has made a code for EVERYTHING so the reimbursements can be made.
I am not making a distinction about any government care.... and never have since I consider it all socialized medicine. At 65 you are FORCED to take medicare whether you had something better or not. IF you have a job that provides benefits then you are not on any of those specific government plans. Unfortunately, if you have any form of insurance there area already codes. What don’t you get about that?
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