Should doctors be paid to discuss end of life care with their patients? Medicare is proposing a rule change that would allow it, but it wasn't that long ago that the mere suggestion touched off a partisan political fire storm and cries that "death panels" would determine our fate. Are we past that? And beyond the politics, talking about death -- your own or a loved one's -- can be difficult. We'll hear thoughts on the best approach on today's Be Welledition of the Sound of Ideas.
Additional Information
Medicare Says Doctors Should Get Paid To Discuss End of Life Issues (NPR)
A Racial Gap in Attitudes Towards Hospice Care (New York Times)
What If It Were You? Healthcare Decisions Made Easy Resources (from Discus Directives):
1. State of Ohio Living Will and Power of Attorney for Healthcare: Ohio legal documents.
4. 5 Wishes: Addresses medical, legal, personal, spiritual, and family matters.(Not a legal
document in Ohio, Texas, Indiana, New Hampshire, Alabama, Kansas, Utah, or Oregon.)
5. Consumer Toolkit for Health Care Advance Planning: The quiz you, your doctor, and
your decision maker should take. Guide for decision maker. Conversation scripts on how
to get started. How to decide what you want.
Advance Directives: Making Your Healthcare Choices Known (from Hospice of the Western Reserve)
Dr. Shlomo Koyfman, Cleveland Clinic
Lisa Newburger,LISW-S, Health Educator and Founder of Discuss Directives, LLC
Mike Rowe. Avon Lake Firefighter and Physician Assistant in the ER at Hillcrest Hospital
SPECIAL DEBRIEF: Don Shalvey, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation