Translation:
"This person suffering from hereditary
defects costs the people 60,000
Reichmarks during his lifetime. People,
that is your money. Read 'New People'."
Posted on 11/27/2007 6:50:27 AM PST by shrinkermd
Hundreds of hospice providers across the country are facing the catastrophic financial consequence of what would otherwise seem a positive development: their patients are living longer than expected.
Over the last eight years, the refusal of patients to die according to actuarial schedules has led the federal government to demand that hospices exceeding reimbursement limits repay hundreds of millions of dollars to Medicare.
The charges are assessed retrospectively, so in most cases the money has long since been spent on salaries, medicine and supplies. After absorbing huge assessments for several years, often by borrowing at high rates, a number of hospice providers are bracing for a new round that they fear may shut their doors.
One is Hometown Hospice, which has been providing care here since 2003 to some of the most destitute residents of Wilcox County, the poorest place in Alabama.
The locally owned, for-profit agency, which serves about 60 patients, mostly in their homes, had to repay the government $900,000, or 27 percent of its revenues, from its first two years of operation, said Tanya O. Walker-Butts, a co-owner. Its profits were wiped out in the time it took to open the demand letters, Ms. Walker-Butts said.
Hometown paid its first assessment with a bank loan. When the bank declined credit for the second year, the hospice structured a five-year payment plan with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal agency that administers the program, at 12.5 percent interest.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Bring a barf bag.
Having put several relatives through hospice care in Branford CT. It was noted to me by the nurses that Yale New Haven Dumps terminal patients on them at the end of every month so their Success or cure rate looks pretty good for the books.
They are a little premature though as some patients end up walking out of there after several weeks.
A side note; I always disliked actor “Rat Boy” Richard Gere until I found out he regularly visits the patients there as he lives on the water within view of the facility
It is a misconception that a hospice is exclusively a place to die. A lot of people “graduate” from hospice care. It’s one of the things that keeps the people who work there going.
Translation:
"This person suffering from hereditary
defects costs the people 60,000
Reichmarks during his lifetime. People,
that is your money. Read 'New People'."
Explain...would you put your 80 year old mother through BRAIN SURGERY? Are you insinuating what I think you are?
Freepmail wagglebee or little jeremiah to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.
FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
I would never put anyone I loved in a hospice.
Consider too that anesthesia can worsen dementia. Is this really wise? I had the same situation where the doc says well maybe a pacemaker would help (but maybe it wouldn’t). So a $10,000 (guesstimate) procedure for my 80-year-old father-in-law that MIGHT help? All paid for by Medicare of course. We declined and he’s doing fine, although his dementia is increasing. We’re paying $5,000 a month for memory care and resources are dwindling.
Consider too that anesthesia can worsen dementia. Is this really wise? I had the same situation where the doc says well maybe a pacemaker would help (but maybe it wouldn’t). So a $10,000 (guesstimate) procedure for my 80-year-old father-in-law that MIGHT help? All paid for by Medicare of course. We declined and he’s doing fine, although his dementia is increasing. We’re paying $5,000 a month for memory care and resources are dwindling.
Where should terminal patients go if not to hospice? Hospice has a very different objective than hospitals - to make patients comfortable.
And before you start, I am NOT saying that you should have subjected your mother to brain surgery; however, YOU are implying that none of us should have that option. I believe that in these cases, the wishes of the dying person should be adhered to as long as they are informed of the options.
Yea..dog pounds are a great concept as well. No more poop to clean up and everything is taken "care of" for you. It's so easy!
do you actually know what hospice care is? I don’t think so because you could NEVER say this if you did. I’ll refrain from saying what i really want to say because, frankly, you’re not worth my time.
Yes..I do as a matter of fact know EXACTLY what a hospice is...first hand, so tread softly with me easy button Lady.
My husband's hospice care was at home. He wanted to die at home. I am a retired nurse, I had the help of family and hospice, and I am so grateful for everything they did.
Let me qualify this...if it's an 80 year old in good health, who could basically withstand it, then it's a viable option..but to do this because, frankly, it's FREE, is ridiculous.
The reason all of this sounds cold is because we're talking about money here. That's what this article is about. If someone told you that there's a serious operation for your 80 year old mother, that MIGHT improve her quality of life a little, what would you say? If you were told the operation cost YOU $250,000, what would you say then? That's the point. Someone else is paying.
*************
Hmmm. Can't you just spend a minute or two on it?
Then you have no idea what hospice is...you could never say that if you did. Have you ever been with someone during their end of life?
I know that there are good hospices out there, but there are a lot more that seem to be more interested in speeding up death. I think it’s important to research them before using them.
Talk to me about it sweet charlotte....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.